Steam and Shadows
by aelisabethchilds
Summary: This story takes place five years after the defeat of Ozai. Katara, Sokka and Suki travel to the Fire Nation to represent the Water Tribe in a conference the Fire Lord has organised. And while Zuko and Katara begin to grow closer, there's a sinister force that may keep them apart. Find out more inside "Steam and Shadows"
1. Chapter 1-A Prologue

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Hey y'all! This is my very first Zutara fanfic, but it's been a long time coming. **

**And heads up, while there will definitely be some Zutara action, it'll be progressive. There are a few problems that Zuko and Katara have to face and conquer. **

She dreamt of their first kiss for ages. It had been perfect.

_The sun was setting over the low, frozen hills behind her home. With her back to the dying rays of light, Katara grinned as she watched her opponent struggle to remove himself from the block of ice she had constructed around him. _

"_This isn't fair!" He complained, wrenching his left hand free. With a swift swipe, he obliterated the rest of his prison. _

"_You're the one who asked to spar." She answered, walking over to where he now stood, dripping on the ice. "Let's head back, you're going to get sick if we stay out here any longer." _

"_A little cold never hurt a man," he protested, looking down at her, "And besides, that was fun. I'm up for another round if you are."_

_Katara glanced at the sky, and noticed how close the sun was to the horizon._

"_It's late." She said, turning to start the trek back to the city. A second later a pair of hands grabbed her ankles, and she went down._

_Katara shrieked._

"_Come on," he taunted, standing up and spreading his arms out, "Once more, and this time with no bending."_

_He had been teaching Katara more advanced self-defense for weeks now, and though she was good, he was still better._

"_I'll just end up with bruises on my bottom," she answered, "Again."_

"_I'll go easy on you," he promised, "No bruises."_

_She stood still a moment, considering just how angry Sokka would be if she was late to make dinner- Suki was visiting Kyoshi again, leaving her poor older brother to fend for himself. Sokka could wait._

"_FIne." _

_With that, she lowered herself into a firm stance, and waited. _

_He did the same, then grinned at her._

"_Your move." _

_Another second passed, and then, without blinking, she launched herself across the space that separated them. She came at him sideways, aware that this made her a little unbalanced, but also a smaller target._

_He leaped to the right just as she was about to jab his stomach, and then spun around and leapt at her. Turning sharply, she twisted out of his extended arms, which, if they wrapped around her torso, could crush her into surrender. _

_With a cry she came at him again, kicking out once, twice. The second kick landed on his hip, pushing his out of his defensive stance. He growled, and jumped back as she kicked once more. _

_The sun was already sinking past the horizon, and it cast their lengthy shadows onto the ice, mirroring each jab, every duck, and the few blow that actually landed. Katara had grown accomplished at dodging his attempts to knock her down. _

_Finally, she made a mistake. Breathing hard, she miscalculated, and stepped onto a particularly icy patch of ground. She flailed a moment, then was tackled to the ground. _

"_I win." He was leaning over her, arms braced at her sides, a triumphant grin lighting his familiar, handsome face._

_Katara groaned, trying to ignore the sudden pulse of heat that leapt into her face._

"_Fine. Now, can I get up?"_

_His face became pensive as he looked down at her, "I don't know...I think I deserve a bit of recognition for my skill. It isn't everyday that a humble man can say he bested the greatest waterbender in the South Pole."_

_His voice dropped to a whisper, and Katara became oblivious to the chunk of ice biting into her back, and the cold wind teasing her hair. His eyes were intent on hers, his face coming closer. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he said "What should I ask for? A written acknowledgement, a medal, or maybe even a lock of hair? What do you think?"_

_Think? How could she think, he was so close, her chest was tightening in a strange way, and her pulse was thrumming in her ears. _

"_Um," She breathed out, " I don't' know- I'm not beaten that often. Maybe you should-_

_She was interrupted as his lips came down to silence hers. Her eyes fluttered a moment, then closed, letting the sensation overwhelm her. _

_Warm, was her first scattered thought. His lips were soft, and as they moved slowly over hers, she felt her arms reach up to his shoulders. Her lips parted, and she could feel his breath, his heat, his _soul_ in the space between. He lowered himself onto her lightly, and after she gripped his shoulders tighter. _

_He broke the kiss, and she felt a wrench in the bottom of her stomach, then smiling slightly, her kissed each corner of her mouth, and the tip of her nose. _

_Katara couldn't have said a word if her life depended on it. She lay on the ice- despite the encroaching dark, and the cold ground below her- she had never felt this warm in her entire life. Her whole body felt like it was glowing. _

_She breathed out, then opened her eyes. _

_He was staring into hers. _

_She felt a blush rise to her cheeks._

"_I've wanted to do that since the day we first met." He murmured, and in a smooth motion, he pushed himself up onto his heels, then extended a hand down to her. _

"_You have?" Katara stammered, letting herself get pulled up._

"_Yes."_

_She blushed more deeply, then turned her face up to his. _

"_Good," she said, standing on her tiptoes, "I had hoped the feeling was mutual."_

_Lakkin was still laughing as she kissed him._


	2. Chapter 2

**aelisabethchilds-**

**Another Chapter?! **

**That's right, despite my packed schedule, I'm still finding the time to write out this story:) Please: Review! REVIEW! REVIEW! Let me know what you think...**

The second kiss they shared had made her toes curl.

_Now's not the time be thinking about that_! With a shake of her head, Katara turned her attention back to the council meeting taking place in her home.

"How are we to respond, Hakoda?" An elderly man demanded, leaning across the low table in their dining room, "We can't spare any of the Council, not with the joining of the two tribes happening in a month. And even if they could be spared, who would wish to make the journey to the Fire Nation?"

Chief Hakoda sighed, rubbing his forehead slowly.

"We can't dismiss this, Councilman Ando, it's a personal invitation from the Firelord himself. If we chose to ignore him, the political repercussions would haunt the Water Tribes for years."

Katara glanced around the table, where the council members of the Southern Water Tribe-soon to be the Southern City of the Water Tribe- had gathered. All of the men were her father's age or older, and the 5 women around the table were old enough to be her Gran-gran. Actually, one of them was her Gran-gran. She was seated quietly next to her husband, Master Pakku. Catching Katara's wandering eye, she winked slowly then cleared her throat.

"Perhaps we shouldn't send one of the Elders to this conference."

Hakoda scowled and said "Mother-"

"Hush," she cut him off with a stern look, "As I was saying, perhaps it would be better to send representatives who are more comfortable with the new Firelord."

Katara's spine stiffened. She knew where this was going. Kanna had brought this up before the meeting, and if Gran-gran thought that Katara would travel to the Fire Nation now, when she was only 2 months from her-

"What are you suggesting, Councilwoman Kanna?" This came from a shriveled old man, sitting at the end of the table.

"I suggest that we respond to these summons, and send the children of our chief to the Fire Nation, to represent not only their family, but their tribe."

Katara bit back a groan. Why, in the name of everything under the moon had Gran-gran said that?

"What?!"

Sokka dragged himself away from his plate of penguin seal jerky, finally joining in the discussion.

"Hakoda, what do you think?' This came Pakku, who was rubbing his ribs slightly, probably recovering from the sharp jab his wife had just given him.

Hakoda rubbed his forehead one last time, then looked to Katara, who had sat straight backed through the entire meeting.

"Katara, what do you think?"

She groaned inwardly, knowing her duty. This conference was too important to miss, and it wasn't worth the risk of offending the other nations by the absence of Water Tribe representatives.

She took a deep breath and said, "I would be proud to represent our tribe in the Fire Nation." She shifted to meet the eyes of all the council members. Each one met her gaze, then Hakoda asked, "Sokka?"

"Um, I agree with Katara, and am-um- honored with opportunity."

"Any objections?" Queried Kanna, as Katara met Sokka's gaze. Her brother looked a little confused, meeting her eyes with his own wide ones.

"Hearing none," her Gran-gran continued, "We are dismissed. Remember our meeting in two weeks, to discuss the joining celebrations."

With that, the dining emptied quickly, leaving Katara's family behind.

"What," Sokka began, looking around the room, "Did I just agree to?"

"If you'd been listening, and not playing with your food, you would know." Kanna said, folding her arms across her chest.

Hakoda laughed as Sokka shrank under his grandmother's glare.

"Gee, Gran-gran. I was just hungry."

Katara leaned in conspiratorially and mock whispered, "You just signed away your first daughter to the Firelord's harem. You better break it to Suki gently."

Sokka choked on the sip of sea prune juice he had just taken, and turned purple.

"WHAT!?"

Katara kept her face dead serious for a moment, then cracked a smile.

"Kidding."

Sokka was fun to tease, and he made it _so_ easy.

He sputtered while the rest of her their family laughed, "Not funny Katara."

She grinned sweetly at her older brother, then looked at her father as he cleared his throat.

"Are you really okay with this?" He was studying her, "I know that this isn't a great time, what with your-"

"It's fine, Dad. It'll be good to do a little traveling. Planning the celebrations and ceremonies for the joining have been time consuming, I'd like a little change."

"What are we doing?" Sokka demanded again.

Gran-gran took pity on him, and explained the situation to him quickly.

"Oh," he said when she had finished, "That's not too bad. Suki'll be excited to travel too."

Suki and Sokka had married last winter, fours years after the war had ended. Despite claiming to hate the cold, Suki had agreed to come live at the South Pole. She had started up a small school for the children of the tribe, teaching them martial arts. The work was hard, and with Sokka heading up the expansion of their village, the couple had not traveled anywhere in the past year.

"Then it's settled" Pakku stated, helping himself to the tea left over from the meeting, "Katara, Sokka and Suki will journey to the Fire Nation to represent the Water Tribe."

Katara nodded as Pakku glanced at her. This could be a good thing; She _was _tired of all the planning the past months had held.

"Wait," Sokka began, his brows furrowed, "How long is this conference supposed to be?"

Hakoda shrugged, then said "The invitation claimed it would be a month of peaceful talks between all nations. I can't imagine it taking much longer than that."

"But we'll miss the joining of the Tribes!"

Gran-gran walked over to Sokka. "We know that, but you'll be doing something much more important than just signing a piece of paper, you and your wife and your sister will _be_ the Water Tribe during this conference. You'll be smoothing the way for future business and interactions between our tribe and the rest of the world," She laid a hand on Sokka's arm, "You'll be protecting our people in a way that no army or weapons could."

Katara hid a grin as Sokka puffed his chest out a little, looking satisfied. Flattery went a long way with Sokka.

She didn't mind missing the joining of the two tribes. In fact, she had been worrying about the event next month. It had consumed so much of her time-she worked with the bakers, the entertainers, the architects building the new banquet hall and making sure that there would be enough space for everyone- a nagging fear had been resting in the back of her mind for the past couple of days. She was afraid that the event would pass so smoothly-for how could it not, with all the work she had put in- that it would pass in the blink of an eye, and all her work would fade away. It was ridiculous, she knew, but she couldn't deny how she felt. Despite being weary of preparations, she had enjoyed her work, and the thought of seeing them come and go made a strange ache well up in her chest. It was like the end of a particularly good book, one that you wished could on forever.

With a sigh, Katara stood up from the table.

"I'm going to go for a walk," she said, then looked over to Gran-gran, "Are you staying for dinner?"

"No," Pakku answered for Kanna, "I'm cooking tonight, and if I don't I'll never be able to convince your Gran-gran that I can actually fend for myself."

Kanna, having returned to her husband's side, gave him another elbow jab, and ignoring his small groan, said, "I'm sure he just begged food from every woman unfortunate to know him back in the North Pole."

Katara slipped out of the dining room before her dad could mediate the budding argument. She paused a moment to grab her heavy coat from the front hall, then walked out of her house.

She was greeted by the sight of their busy street. Mothers called after their laughing children, a weaver was laying out new wool in her front window, and the smell of fresh smoked fish was wafting from somewhere around the corner. She chuckled as she remembered the little village she had left 5 years ago, at the beginning of her adventures with Aang. After the Fire Nation attacked, and was defeated at the North Pole, Pakku had journeyed back to their home, and started to rebuild the once great village, with the help of two architects from the North.

When Katara, Sokka and Hakoda returned home they had hardly recognized the village, for it had become a growing city, with large, spacious ice homes, a canal system similar to the North Pole's, and families from their sister tribe living in and helping build the place.

The day they returned, Kanna had greeted them as they descended from Appa's back, smiling slightly at Aang's awed "Did we come to the wrong spot?"

Gran-gran had assured them they were home, and proudly led them to their new house, near the center of the city. Sokka had nearly cried when he saw the large kitchen, and Katara had fallen in love with the view from the attics large balcony. Only Hakoda seemed uncomfortable in the new setting, a little angry to return to his village and find that the home he and his wife had shared was gone. His annoyance was quickly pushed aside when he was voted chief of the city, and his responsibilities began to pile up on him.

"Watch it!"

Katara jolted back to the present, and ducked just in time to miss a face full of ice, falling from the building above her. She glanced up to see a young waterbender from the North, Iluq, grinning over the edge of the house.

"Sorry Katara," he said, waving at her, "I was just cleaning up this roof line."

Iluq worked for one of the architects supervising the expansion of their town, and she suspected that his boss sent him up to the roofs to get Iluq out from under his feet. The boy had overenthusiastic down to a "t".

She waved back, then continued down the street, crossing over one of the many bridges that curved over the canals.

She was now in a more residential part of town, and she could almost make out-

"Katara!"

Katara turned to see Suki bearing down on her, balancing a basket on one hip, and a small toddler on the other.

"Hey Suki," she said, "and hello there, Shila. What have you been doing this afternoon?"

The little blue eyed girl smiled toothily at Katara and said "Thopping."

"Really?" Katara raised her eyebrows, putting her hands on her hips "What was your momma doing?"

Suki chuckled quietly.

"The wath thleeping," the little girl explained, frowning a little, "Thuki thaid i could come to the thtore with her."

Shila wriggled, and reached for the basket, grabbing something.

"Thee?" she demanded, "I bought thome thea prunes. They're Momma'th favourite."

Katara briefly touched the girls dark hair, and smiled at her.

"That was really nice, Shila."

The toddler looked beyond proud.

"I made her pick those out," Suki said as they started to walk toward her home, "I still can't stand them, no matter how many times Sokka makes them 'just for you, Suki'". The older woman shuddered.

They stopped at Shila's home, and exchanged greetings with Shila's mother, a woman a little younger than Katara, who had lived in the South Pole her whole life, and had married a warrior from the North. Once Suki had untangled herself from the toddler, she and Katara walked to her house.

"How was the meeting?" Suki asked as they settled in her warm living room, walls hung with thick tapestries.

"Long," Katara sighed, flinging herself back on the furs she had sat upon, "And boring. At least most of it. Gran-gran volunteered us- You, Sokka and me- to go the the conference in the Fire Nation."

"WHAT?!" Shrieked Suki, in an eerily similar way to Sokka's earlier cry, "Wh-When-Why-" the woman took a deep breath then said, "Tell me everything."

And so Katara did, starting with Zuko's first letter.

././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

Zuko had a headache. People scurried out of his way, and he made no attempt to soften his scowl as he strode down the halls towards his study.

"Fools!" He muttered, as he burst through the study doors, "Ignorant, puddle-brained, spineless, noble fools!"

He ended on a shout, throwing himself down on the long, low soft chaise that rested against the wall opposite his desk. The dark green cushions had served as a bed during the many nights he had closed himself in his study, trying to run a nation by himself.

He growled, and punched at one of those cushions now. Zuko always found the Cabinet of Nobles a trying group of high-minded vultures, but today-today!- they had nearly seen him lose his temper.

Why couldn't they see the benefits in his proposal? A single, unified currency throughout the nations would make trade easy, and encourage economic growth for all people. But the fools insisted that their _jin_ was good enough for them, that they liked their traditional currency, and "Why must the Firelord push for such change?"

The nobles liked the way things were. They still had their lands, they now had a hand in the governing of their country, and they still had their wealth. The prospect of changing their nation's currency was frightening to them, it threatened their security.

Zuko, scowled deeper, and reached up to take out his topknot crown; the heavy ornament was poking into his skull. Once it was free of his hair, he let it drop to the floor beside the chaise, and he rubbed his eyes, briefly allowing his fatigue to catch up to him.

It had been a long day, with bending practice in the morning, then a state breakfast with the Cabinet, then the actual meeting of nobles, a stuffy lunch- he'd taken a quick walk to cool off after that- then more meeting. The nobles had brought many petty concerns to him, but some had required real thought, and his headache was not receding.

He took a deep breath, and letting it out in a gusty sigh, he pushed himself up, and off the chaise.

He went over to his desk, littered with documents, and sat down. He had work to do.

Two hours later, Zuko pushed his chair back with a groan. He couldn't handle anymore reports on estates, or weather predictions for the upper plains, or invitations to social gatherings. He wanted to focus on the upcoming conference he had called, but even that had begun to be a headache, keeping track of the representatives, and where they would stay, and who they were bringing with them, and what they would-

A small envelope caught his eye. It was tucked under the plans for a new city park in the capitol, the drawings having shifted in his nightly attempt to tackle his pile of papers.

He reached and slipped it out from under the plans. As he read the formal address to himself on the front, his eyes widened; He knew that handwriting. With a quick motion, he tore the envelope open.

It read-

**To Firelord Zuko, in regard to the invitation previously sent:**

**It is with great happiness that I write to inform you that we, the family of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, have received your invitation to the conference that will be held this summer. After much consideration, it has been decided that Sokka of the SOuthern Water Tribe, his wife Suki, and I, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe will travel to the Fire Nation, and attend this conference as the representatives of our people. We humbly thank you for this opportunity and-**

**Here the writing was interrupted by a long streak of ink.**

**Sorry about that, ****it continued,**** Sokka made me stop with the formal letter. He couldn't stop laughing. Anyway, we plan on departing from the South Pole in a little more than a week, so by the time this letter arrives, we should be about 8 days away. I know we'll be there early, but Aang just wrote and said he was going to arrive ahead of schedule too, so we thought it might be nice to have some time together again. The last time we were all together was more than a year ago, at Iroh's expansion of the Jasmine Dragon. Do you remember that horrible tea Aang made? I can't believe your uncle actually drank it! I was just glad he kept Aang away from the tea after that. I think the rest of that pot went into a plant- which died later that week. Make sure you don't let Aang near the kitchens while he's at the palace, I'm pretty sure nothing good would come of it. **

**I hope you're well, and I'm to give my best regards to you from Dad, Gran-gran and Pakku. **

**See you soon, **

**Katara**

Zuko grinned as he finished the letter. So Sokka and Suki and Katara were coming to the conference? Remembering the contents of the letter, Zuko frowned, and looked for the stamp which would indicate the day the letter reached his desk. Squinting, he read it, then read it again.

_Great Flame!_ If that date was correct, they were coming tomorrow!

He stood up quickly, and walked out of his study, snuffing out his lamp with a flick of his wrist as he closed the door.

He walked through the halls once more, looking around for one of the servants assigned with night duty.

He turned the corner to his bedroom's hall, and saw a maid chatting with one of the guards to his bedroom. Recognizing her, he said, "Good evening, Mina" as he drew close to the pair.

Both Mina, and the guard jumped, fleeting guilt and embarrassment crossing their faces.

Mina curtsied quickly.

"Good evening, Firelord. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes. I've just had word that we are to expect three more visitors tomorrow, along with the avatar. I'd appreciate it if you could prepare a suite for a married couple, and another for a single woman."

Mina nodded. "Do you have a preference for the wing they'll be in?"

Zuko thought a moment.

"Aren't the avatar's room in the west wing?"

Mina nodded once more.

"Then put them there. That should suit everyone."

"Yes, Firelord. I'll see to it right away," the maid made as if to walk away, then turned back to Zuko, "Is there anything else you need tonight? I think Cook is still up..."

She trailed off as Zuko shook his head.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Mina curtsied once again, and after sharing a long look with the guard, she walked away, leaving Zuko standing outside his bedroom with the guard.

"So, Lio," Zuko asked, as he opened his ornate doors, pausing a moment to look at the guard, "When are you going to ask that girl out?"

Lio look startled, then embarrassed.

"I- I don't know, your highness."

The guards face was a deep red.

Zuko smirked, "Well, If I were you, I'd do it soon. Mina's a nice girl."

And with that, he shut his door on his guards astonished face.

He allowed himself to smile widely. He never got tired of surprising his staff with his interest in their lives. He supposed that his time in the lower level of Ba-Sing-Se influenced that; He knew what it was like to work for a living. And so, even after he had returned to the palace as Firelord, he insisted on knowing as many of his staff as he could.

Throwing off his heavy, formal over-robe, he walked into his bathroom. The large tub was, as always, filled with clear, cool water. He stripped quickly, then slid into the clear water, wincing a little at the temperature. He ducked under the water once, then gave in. With a deep breath in, he exhaled slowly, and, extending his hands under the water, heated the water to perfection. He nearly hummed in satisfaction. He could feel the heat work at his sore muscles, and strained shoulders, washing the tension away.

He made quick work of washing himself, once he had sat still for as long as he could. It was starting to take longer to wash his hair, which was now past his shoulders, but he found that he liked the longer style, and so put up with it. Finished, he leapt up from the submerged tub, and absentmindedly warmed his skin temperature until the waterdrops fled from his touch as steam. He pulled on a pair of silk sleeping pants, then lowered himself onto his bed. He laid down, forgoing his soft covers; the night was warm, and the breeze whispering in form his large windows was comfortable.

Tomorrow, he thought, drifting off, will be much better than today.


	3. Chapter 3

**aelisabethchilds;**

**And I'm back, another chapter from my digital hands to yours. Enjoy! **

**Post reviews, suggestions, thoughts, anything…hehe. Not like I'm desperate to know what you think. I'm just a lowly fanfic writer, doing my best for the people who love what I love…ZUTARA! **

**(btw. I just spent a **_**ton**_** of time on deviantart, and if you haven't already, check out Pugletz. AHH! So many feels from the art there!)**

She had missed this. She hadn't been to the Fire nation in years, not since the coronation. The sun was caressing her upturned face, and a warm wind was making the sails snap briskly in the morning.

Katara was standing by the railing on the large ship that had carried her from the frigid waters of the South Pole to the clear, almost tropical waves of the Fire Nation. They had set out more than 3 weeks ago, and when she woke every day, she could feel the cold falling behind them.

The trip had been uneventful, and they had made good time. Their captain, a Southern tribesman, predicted that they would arrive at the capitol by midday. The coast they sailed by was dotted by small villages, and the occasional grand estate, usually perched precariously on the edge of the rocky cliffs that delineated where land met sea.

Yesterday, the scenery had comprised of mostly azure waves, then the man in the dovecrow's pit had spotted land, and just before sunset, the ship had set a course parallel to the coast.

Katara spent a good part of the last night on the nearly deserted deck. The moon was waxing, not quite half full. She didn't like to practice her bending when the sailors were working, and prone to gawk, so she bent at night, once the ship had quieted, and the only people who could watch her were the night shift. The shift consisted of only four men so Katara didn't feel uncomfortable; the sailors were busy sailing, and she could bend in peace.

After working for nearly an hour on a new move, she'd allowed herself to relax and watch the dimly lit coast. The "got-your-back" was a particularly difficult trick she had been developing for a few weeks. Sokka had given her the idea, when she dropped in to watch one of his training sessions with Suki. Actually, play session was the better term. Sokka would often volunteer to help Suki with her martial arts classes, and when he came, Suki would use the time to let her students practice. By attacking the combined force of Sokka and Suki.

During that session, a small pack of 8 students had formed a circle around the couple, and Sokka had called out dramatically, "I've got your back, Suki! We can-". His speech had been cut off by a clever girl, who had darted in and swiped Sokka's feet out from under him.

While Sokka's attempt had been unsuccessful, Kattar had got to thinking; When she bent, she often left her back unprotected, focusing on the opponents facing her.

Starting with a large, formless mass, she had begun to manipulate a man-sized bunch of water to stay at her back while she bent during her own practice sessions. It meant that she had to keep one hand engaged with the "Buddy" , as she fondly dubbed him, and the other working on her defense. It had taken days to perfect the divided attention required for the move, but once she had it down, she began to tweak with Buddy. She made him more human looking, forming him from ice and water before deciding an a semi-hard combination of the two. In the past week she had started bending him into being with rough human features.

The easy part was making him, the hard part was bending him into useful actions. She would often sit herself on the deck and bend Buddy into form, then practice one handed defensive and offensive moves for him.

Last night she had memorized the move which allowed Buddy to give out a high, powerful kick.

She rubbed her chest absentmindedly. She had to practice on someone, and that kick packed a punch.

"Katara!" she jumped as Suki called out her name.

Looking around, she spotted her brother's wife poking her head out of the doorway that led below decks. Suki's hair was damp, and her face looked freshly scrubbed.

"You should start getting ready," her friend continued, "We're coming up the old Gate of Azulon, and we'll be there before you know it."

Katara, surprised, looked out to the coast again. There, in the distance, stood two tall structures of rock. She remembered Zuko mentioning that they had been defaced, wiped clean of the old Firelord's likeness. Squinting, she could see that they had been stripped down to bare rock.

She left the railing, and walked to the stairs, dodging a swinging bundle of rope as she did.

"Sorry, miss." Called out the sailor who had tossed the rope.

Katara nodded quickly, and descended into the ship.

Her room was small, but cozy, with a hammock draped with fur-which she hadn't used for the past couple of nights- and another pile of pillows and blankets on the floor, a perfect nest to curl up in and take a nap or read a book. Most of her things had been stowed in the hold, but the trunk she needed was in the corner.

Katara crossed to it, and pulled out a carefully folded dress. Gran-gran had hastily put together a wardrobe for the three of them, and Hakoda had sent them off with a small fortune, to be used to buy more formal attire once they were at the capitol; All of the appropriate clothing she, Sokka and Suki had was too heavy for the fire Nation.

The dress she now held in her hands was linen, a little roughly woven, for it wasn't a fabric that was in high demand in her home. The color, though was lovely. A light blue gray, with simple, elegant embroidery along its hems.

Katara laid it out on the floor, and, snatching up clean underthings, darted across the hallway, into the bathroom. She bent up water, through the special made pipes that had been fitted to the ship, and with a shiver of anticipation, stepped into the small tub at the same time as she bent the water in. She gasped a little at the temperature. Despite the warm weather outside, the water was still cooler than immediately comfortable.

Her bath was efficient with her bending- a few flicks of her wrist took care of her hair, another few for her body-and she was back in her room in a matter of minutes. She slipped into her dress, relishing the light material against her skin.

Katara walked over to the mirror, intent on doing her hair. The dark brown locks fell to the hollow of her back in waves. Gran-gran joked that her hair could never make up its mind whether it wanted to be curly or straight, and so decided to be just wild.

She picked up a handful of pins, and got to work, coaxing her hair into a low, twisted bun at the back of her neck. She'd forgone her hair loops a few years ago, after one too many teasings from Sokka, but today she strung two blue beads into her hair, and let the strands fall back in a similar way, just not as pronounced.

She stepped back to inspect the finished product, and stared. Her mother looked back at her from the mirror, her mouth gaped open a little, as if shocked.

Katara shook her head, watching as her reflection did the same. She'd heard that she looked like her mom, but hearing and seeing that were two very different things.

Maybe it was the combination of the lovely dress, and formal hairstyle. Maybe it was simply that Katara was actually paying attention to her reflection, something she hadn't had time for in- well, in a long time. Either way, she was a little unnerved.

Katara knew she had grown in the past years. Coming home from her adventures with Aang, she'd discovered that she was too tall for all her old clothes. And then, not much later, she'd...filled out...a little more in her chest. Not that she would consider herself busty, but she was no longer a girl-child.

Stepping closer to the mirror, she studied her face. It had lost its youthful roundness when she hadn't noticed, leaving a leaner version in its place. Her eyes remained the same, still the same old blue. She gazed into the mirror for a moment more, then turned away, shrugging.

People got older. She'd seen it with Suki-no longer a teenager but a woman- who'd grown her hair out, and gained curves. Sokka too, had grown up. He was as tall as her father, and filled out like him as well. When Dad and her brother stood side by side, Katara thought they looked like brothers, separated by many years, but brothers all the same.

She considered going back onto the deck, but decided against it. Instead, she settled down in her nest of cushions, and picked up the book she was reading.

Leaning back, she lost herself in a different world, where bending was unheard of, where the strength of a person came from their heart, and where love was always sweet and kind.

Sometimes she wished she could disappear into these pages.

./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

"Watch out!"

"Oi! You! Grab this!"

"USE YOUR HANDS, YOU FOOL, NOT YOUR HEAD!"

"This is entertaining," quipped a dry voice from Zuko's left.

Zuko glanced at one of his trusted advisors, a small, middle aged man named Mashi, and after raising his eyebrow, looked back at the spectacle that was the water tribe ship docking. Sailors were throwing mooring lines to men on the wharf, while the ship's deck was swarming with men, carrying trunks, and baskets, and tending to the sails and rigging.

Standing in the shade of the greeting tent, he didn't have the best view of the people aboard. Squinting into the tangle of bodies, he tried to see familiar faces. He had no luck.

He spared a glance at the greeting party behind him. Since they were arriving ahead of schedule, there was no bevy of nobles and other guests to greet the Water Tribe representatives. Instead, Zuko had brought down three of his closest advisors, and a handful of servants. Everyone stood at attention, their eyes fixed on the ship. Waiting for his guests to come ashore.

There! With a flurry of activity, the gangplank was lowered onto the dock. Zuko felt his stomach clench tightly. His brow lowered in thought. That was strange. Why-_he was nervous_! The realization hit him, leaving a cloud of confusion in his mind. Why, of all days, would he be nervous now? Sure, he hadn't seen Sokka, Suki or Katara in more than a year, but he _knew_ them. They weren't puffed up political prigs who needed to be handled with a delicate touch.

Mashi gave him a sudden jab, aiming for the Firelord's ribs, but-due to his short stature- landing a blow on the side of Zuko's stomach.

"Smile," the man said as Zuko winced, "Your friends are here."

And they were. Following a steady stream of men unloading boxes, trunks and bags, Zuko saw Sokka make his way down the steep gangplank, followed closely by Suki, with Katara behind, steadying herself with her hands out as she descended.

They wove through the workers on the wharf, and made their way to the tent, unmistakable with its steep pitch, deep red color and fire nation flag fluttering in the wind.

Sokka and Suki stepped forward first.

Zuko quelled a smile as Sokka butchered his bow, hands held in the wrong position-they signaled that Sokka thought Zuko was a prig...so maybe it was on purpose- and knees bent awkwardly. Suki's curtsey was elegant; She spread her skirts wide, and inclined her head.

"Greetings, Master Sokka, and Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors," Zuko said, letting his voice ring out in the tent, "Welcome to the Fire Nation. We are glad you have arrived in our beloved land."

Here, he bowed slightly, hiding a small grimace of distaste for the formal words.

Straightening, he was attacked, his balance thrown, and Zuko was forced to take a hurried step back. Sokka had caught him up in a backbreaking hug. Zuko held still, then relaxed slightly, allowing his arms to reach up around Sokka's broad shoulders. _By the sun, _he thought, _He's sure grown._

Sokka clapped him twice on the back and, releasing the now slightly ruffled Firelord, grinned at him. Zuko noted that Sokka, while having gotten taller, was still not his height.

"Good to see you Zuko," the water tribesman said, his voice lower than Zuko remembered, "It's nice to have arrived."

Suki stepped forward, and clasped his hand, saying, "It _is_ good to see you." in her mellow voice. Zuko nodded, and gave her a small smile.

He briefly introduced the couple to Mashi, then turned back to his other guest.

"Hello, Zuko."

Katara bowed in perfect form, signaling a level of respect and friendship to a noble person with her hands.

Zuko used his returning bow to let his surprise run wild. She looked...different. She looked-but then he had to straighten and face her.

"Welcome, Master Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe. We are honored with your presence, and hope you will-"

Mirroring her brother, Katara cut him off with a hug. It wasn't as forceful as Sokka's, but it did take the breath out of him.

Zuko looked down at Katara, and smiled.

"You're looking well," He said, then instantly berated himself. _Well?! _What an insipid word. She looked much more than well.

"So do you," she answered meeting his gaze, "A little more regal than the last time I saw you. Would you prefer me to call you 'Your Highness' now?"

Zuko's brows drew together, confused. He had never asked-

"I'm joking," Katara groaned, shoving him lightly on the arm.

A quiet cough drew Zuko's attention away from the waterbender and to Mashi, who was standing patiently by his side.

"My lord, would you introduce me?" The small man asked, smiling a Katara.

"Katara," Zuko said, turning back to her, "This is Lord Mashi, one of my advisors."

Mashi bowed over Katara's extended hand, and placed a quick kiss on it.

"I'm the one the Firelord blames if anything goes wrong in the nation." Mashi said as he continued to hold Katara's hand. "It's a trying job, but well worth it when I get to meet beautiful young ladies, such as yourself."

Katara blushed a little, and bowed to the man, whose eyes were level to her own.

"Enough, Mashi," Zuko said, grasping Katara's arm, and leading her to the other two advisors he had brought with him, "You're too old for that."

Zuko heard him scoff under his breath as Katara was introduced to the advisors.

Suki and Sokka were waiting by the back of the tent, watching their belongings get loaded onto the wagons that would carry them up to the palace.

Zuko heard Sokka say "But I'm hungry, Suki. And I can smell fire flakes. There must be food somewhere."

At least that hadn't changed. He glanced down to see Katara rolling her eyes.

"If you're ready, we can head to the palace," Zuko motioned at the compact carriages, saddled to ostrich-horses, which were waiting for them, "Small fest had been prepared in your honor."

Zuko had never seen a man get into a carriage as quickly as Sokka did upon hearing the word "feast". Suki followed him after giving an exasperated look to Katara.

"Shall we?" He asked, motioning her towards the second carriage. "These only fit two, otherwise the ostrich-horses would be overwhelmed."

Katara nodded. He offered his hand for her to use to enter, then wanted to smack his forehead as she smirked down at it, and hopped into the open carriage.

Katara wasn't a pampered fire nation lady, she knew how to get into a carriage. Zuko leapt up easily, habitually maneuvering around his long, traditional robes. The first couple of times he had tried to walk up and down stairs in the blasted things he had tripped and stumbled. Now, he could probably run a race and win in the heavy material, he had grown so accustomed to it.

The ostrich-horse set off with a small lurch, and Zuko settled into his backwards facing seat, across from Katara.

The young woman was staring at the passing scenery as they starting climbing up towards the palace. Zuko studied her as she did.

She'd changed, in the time since they'd last met. Her face looked different, cheekbones and jaw more pronounced, her lips with a serious set. Her dress was almost absurdly simple when compared to his attire, yet it suited her, drawing attention to her slender form. She had lost weight.

Zuko frowned as he noticed this. Katara had never been one to carry extra fat, not even after the war had ended and peace had set in. She looked a little underfed, he decided, noticing her collarbones, which seemed a little too prominent, and her wrists, which seemed a little too bony. Was she ill?

Katara turned to look at Zuko and smiled, not noticing his expression of concentration.

"It looks lovely," she made a wide, sweeping motion out towards the lush, green fields that surrounded the fire nation capital, "I see you've made a lot of progress."

She smiled again, and Zuko couldn't remember why he had been worried a second ago. Her face lit up when she smiled.

He mentally shook his head.

"Yes. We relocated the colonists from the Earth Kingdom, and gave them the land around the volcano. It's proven to be especially fertile."

Katara nodded, "I like what they've done with the steps."

Steps? Zuko looked around, then chuckled.

"You mean the terrace farms?"

"Oh. Yeah, those."

He shrugged, "They do kind of look like steps. They allow the farmer to work on level ground, and use as much of the land as possible. And" he added softly, "I like the way they hide the volcano. It makes this place seem-"

"Peaceful." She finished.

Zuko nodded.

Katara went back to watching the landscape and Zuko did too. He enjoyed seeing how peace had affected his nation. The land looked better, healthier, and the people did as well. A few farmers waved to their carriages as they passed, and Katara waved back, smiling.

The long ride to the palace seemed incredibly short, and before he knew it they had ridden through the wide streets of the capitol, and entered the gates to the palace.

Katara gave a small, gasp interrupting Zuko's thoughts. He'd been wondering when Aang would arrive, and if Appa would need more space than the barn they had already designated for the flying bison.

"It's different!" She exclaimed, glancing about the front courtyard.

Zuko looked around as well, trying to see it from her eyes. He had watched the entire process throughout time, so the sight of the gardened courtyard no longer surprised him. But, he reasoned, to Katara who hasn't been here since the end of the war it must seem drastically changed.

"We didn't need all that space for soldiers anymore." He stated, "I wanted to put the area to use. It's open to the public three days a week."

That had been his idea, to let the people in. Once in awhile, he'd take a break from running his nation, throw on civilian clothing, and stroll along the green paths, greeting whoever he passed casually. He loved to see the expressions of those who recognized him, and was delighted when they didn't.

The driver drove alongside the large wall, following the small road until they came to what Zuko affectionately called "the side door". It was less intimidating than the main entrance, and led more directly to the west wing, where his guests were staying.

After they had stopped, Zuko stepped down first, the offered his hand to Katara, who, after raising her eyebrows at Zuko, accepted it, and let him help her down.

Her cool hand seemed small in his.

"That took forever!" Sokka called out, jumping down from his carriage. He turned around, and grabbing Suki by her waist, swung her off, and twirled her about until she laughed.

"You were thinking about food the entire time." She reprimanded, "Now put me down. What will the Firelord think?"

Zuko, a little unsure of how to respond to the spontaneous, affectionate display he had just seen, shrugged and said, "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."

He walked towards the doors, great, tall wooden slabs engraved with dragons and lillies. Katara walked alongside him, and Sokka and Suki behind.

It only took about seven minutes to get to their rooms, by which time Sokka had asked about dinner five times. The last three had each earned him a jab from Suki. Sokka never learned.

"This is your room," Zuko said, opening the large door for Suki and Sokka, and enjoying their slightly awed faces as they took in the extravagant guest suite, "Dinner is an hour before sunset, and a servant will be waiting to show you the way."

"Thanks, Zuko!" Sokka called out as the firelord left the room. He was shutting the door behind him when he heard Sokka murmur, "An hour before sunrise? That's a long time from now." and Suki reply, "What should we do with all that time, my strong warrior?"

Suki let out a happy shriek as Zuko firmly closed the door.

And turned to face Katara.

He felt his cheeks heat up. Had she heard-

"Don't worry," Katara said, as Zuko led her down the hall, "They were much worse a few months ago. I couldn't handle being in the same room as them. All Suki ever did was giggle, and Sokka would whisper to her, a little too loudly."

She grimaced.

He chose not to comment.

They came to her door, another grand affair of wood and metal and sculpture.

"This is your room." He stated. He didn't open the door.

Katara stopped next to him and stared at the wood a moment before turning to face him. Zuko looked down at her.

"Thanks for showing me to my room, Zuko," she said, smiling a little, "I'm really glad to be here."

What was he supposed to say to that?

"I'm, uh, glad you're here too."

"You know," she continued, "I almost didn't recognize you at first."

Zuko cocked his head to the side.

"You look different from last year, in Ba-Sing-Se. You're hair maybe, or it could be that you've grown."

"Well, you haven't" he retorted, "You're still a shorty."

Katara flicked him in the chest, and rather than leaving a flicker of pain, the spot where she touched him flared with warmth.

"I'll have you know that I've grown more than a half an inch in the past year, Firelord."

"I don't know," He said, examining her from head to toe, "You look pretty much the-wait a second."

Zuko interrupted himself. There _was_ something different about her. It wasn't that she had bodily changed, it was what she was wearing. Her-

"Your necklace."

Katara's hand flew up to the ribbon around her neck. It wasn't the familiar blue piece he knew-he had stolen before. It was a white ribbon, with a dark, shimmering gray circle pendant.

"What happened to your necklace?" He asked, his voice a little rougher thanhe would have liked.

"Oh." Katara looked flustered, and a bit of color rushed into her cheeks. "My mother's necklace is an heirloom, passed down through the woman in my family. Girls wear it until they become engaged themselves."

Zuko all emotion leave his face. That meant-

"I didn't realize you didn't know, Zuko. I'm so sorry, I thought I had sent a letter off. I guess it must have gotten lost in all the planning I've been doing."

Katara smiled slightly, and placed a hand on Zuko's arm.

"I'm getting married."


	4. Chapter 4

**aelisabethchilds: **

**Another week, another chapter! Actually, I'm planning on staying up into the wee hours and finishing another one, sooo… We'll see. I hope you enjoy, and that y'all will leave reviews. **

**(Iroh voice) "A good review is like a good cup of tea; it has the ability to soothe all sores and make the sun shine brighter."**

***sigh **

**Maybe I shouldn't try Iroh analogies…**

Zuko was scaring her a little.

Katara watched the Firelord closely. She hadn't thought he'd mind getting the news late, but if his face was anything to go by, he minded. His expression was-well, she wasn't sure what his expression was, but it didn't look pleased.

She decided that now was the time to go into her room.

"I'll just go in now." She said, turning on her heel, and pushing the door open.

"Right," looking back, it seemed to her that Zuko looked as if someone had shoved a snowball down his trousers, "I'll see you at dinner then."

Katara nodded, and crossed the entryway into her room.

"Katara?"

She glanced back to see Zuko standing in the hall, hands held by his sides.

"Congratulations."

She nodded, and watched as he turned and walked away.

She began to shut the door when a horribly familiar feeling throbbed at her throat.

_NO! _She shrieked in her head, as she felt her airway start to constrict, _Not here, not now. PLEASE, NO!_

But her inward pleadings had no effect, and she stumbled little black spots appearing in her vision. Her right hand grasped at her throat, clawing at the invisible force that was choking her, while her left blindly reached out for something, anything to help her.

It collided with something large, and as she struggled to remain standing, the large painted vase fell from its stand and crashed to the floor.

She dimly heard the noise as she sank to her knees-knees that couldn't hold her up anymore. The black dots were consuming her sight, her lungs were on fire, she needed air, why did he have-

It stopped, and with a gasp, Katara drew air into her chest, relishing its sweet sweep into her lungs.

Suddenly, her door burst open.

Zuko strode in, and paused, taking in the scene.

Katara realized how strange she must look.

She gazed up at him from her knees, and he gazed right back. She had no idea what he was thinking, and she fiercely prayed her face showed just as much emotion as his.

Zuko extended his hand down to her, and, hand trembling only so slightly, Katara let herself be pulled to her feet.

"We have servants for that," he said, and Katara could only stare at him. What did he mean by that?

"I'll call someone in right now, and have this cleared away. You don't have to worry about it."

With a start, she realized that he was talking about shattered vase. And she had been kneeling on the floor when he came in, like she was about to clean it up.

"Thank you." She said quietly, bending her neck slightly, hiding her face.

"It's not a problem," he answered. He probably thinks I'm terribly clumsy, she thought to herself.

"See you at dinner."

And with that, the Firelord swept out of the room.

Katara stood there, stunned. Of all times...why now? It hadn't happened on the ship.

She knew she couldn't fathom _his_ reasons, so Katara turned to inspect her room, refusing to let _him_ control more of her life than he already did.

_Too big_, was her first thought as she studied her room. Then, _how much did this cost?!_

Her room was huge, with ceilings that seemed appropriate for giant badgermoles, not humans. The bed, too, was large enough for one of the enormous underground dwellers. How was she supposed to sleep in that? She'd be strangled by the covers!

Katara walked into the well lit room, admiring the subtle gold leaf that lined the trim on the floor and ceiling. If this room was for the guests, then what must Zuko's room be like?

A tall doorway opened up onto a modest balcony, and Katara took a moment to look out below and beyond her. Her rooms faced the ocean, and they high enough that she could view the distant ships along the horizon. The breeze was warm, and she could taste the salt on it.

With a sigh, she left the stunning view, and went back to exploring her rooms. There was a small sunny room with cushions and a low table for tea, another smaller room with shelves of books lining the walls, and if the large cushion and multiple candles were any indication, even a niche for meditation.

When she got to the bathroom she shrieked.

The tub was HUGE!

Ignoring all common sense, she pulled her dress off, and dashed over to the sunken pool. There were knobs at one end, labeled "hot" and "cold". Curious, she turned the cold one. She shrieked again.

The knob was waterbending! Cold water was gushing from a large pipe centered between the two knobs. She twisted the cold knob again. The water stopped. She reached over to the hot knob, and twisted that one. Steam rose from the tub floor as hot water rushed in. A smile danced on her lips.

This was better than penguin-sledding.

Katara took off her slip, and leaving her underthings on, slid down the polished stone side of the tub. There, she turned both knobs until she found the perfect temperature, and after finding a wooden stopper for the drain, she lounged in the tub as it filled. Containers of sweet smelling shampoos and lotions lined one side of the pool, and Katara tried a little bit of everything. She smelled better than a garden in full bloom. Once she had tired with the smelly potions, she started bending. She made waves crash from end to end of the tub, but never leap out past its boundary. She made a geyser and lifted herself into the air, high enough to touch the ceiling. Buddy made a brief appearance, but then Katara decided that it wasn't proper for a man to watch a woman bathe. So Buddy was dissolved.

She finally let herself just float, creating littles eddies and currents with her hands, enjoying the hot water and large tub.

"Ahem."

Her restful soak was interrupted by the quiet cough. Katara jerked her head up, and saw a woman standing by the doorway into the tub room.

"Lady Katara?"

Katara swam over to the edge of the tub, and pushed herself out.

"That's me." she said, bending the water off her body and underclothes.

"I am Mina," said the woman, who with a closer look turned out to be a young woman, maybe a little older than Katara, "I have been assigned to be your personal servant while you are a guest here."

Katara froze. A servant? Those were for great ladies, and the wealthy. Surely she didn't need-

"I'll start unpacking your clothes, my lady."

With that, the woman, turned and walked into the main bedroom. Katara trailed behind her, unsure of what to do.

Her trunks had been delivered, and her face heated as she realized that whoever had brought them to her room had probably heard her playing in the tub.

Katara, realizing that she was still in her underthings, started to reach for the dress she had been wearing when she discovered it wasn't there. Instead, it was draped on Mina's arm, along with her precious few formal gowns.

As if she had read her mind, Mina held out a robe. Katara slipped it on gratefully, reveling in the smooth glide of the silk across her skin. She tied the sash, and looked up to see Mina pulling clothes out of a trunk.

The servant brought her clothes over to a wardrobe that Katara hadn't noticed before- perhaps because it looked like another doorway- and hung them up before she could utter a word.

Not knowing what else to do, Katara reached into another trunk and began to unpack as well.

"Oh no, Lady!" Mina exclaimed as she saw Katara bring over a bundle of breast bands, "This is my duty, not yours."

"But I'd like to help-

"My chould take a nap," the girl suggested demurely, "For dinner is still hours away, and the lady has traveled far."

She _was_ tired, and despite its size, the bed did look comfortable.

"I think I will," she answered, making her way past the open trunks, and toward the bed. _Whites waves_! she thought as she climbed onto it, _it's so soft!_ She crawled into the middle of the bed, but before curling up as she longed to do, she looked back to Mina.

"Mina?" She called softly. The girl turned to her.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Please just call me Katara."

Mina looked surprised, and a little horrified, but Katara held her eyes. The servant gulped, and nodded.

"Yes...Katara."

The waterbender smiled as she drifted off. At least she could control some things.

She was jerked awake by someone calling her name. She flailed in the bed for a moment, unsure of where she was.

"Katara?" Suki called again, her head peeking through the door.

Fire Nation. Palace. Zuko.

Oh.

Katara sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice a little rumbly from sleep.

"Sorry I woke you," the older girl said, stepping into the room, "Wow. Your rooms just as large as ours." Suki gawked at the room, until Katara cleared her throat, bringing her guest back to business.

"Yeah, sorry to get you up, but I thought you'd like to know that Aang is here. He flew in with-"

Katara jumped from the bed.

"Aang is here?"

She ran around the room, desperately looking for her abandoned dress, then remembered Mina had put it in the wardrobe.

She raced to the wardrobe. Threw on the dress. Grabbed a pair of slippers.

She dragged Suki out of the room, trying to retrace her previous journey from the entrance.

"Where is he?" She demanded, pulling her brother's wife with her down the hall.

"Katara!" Suki laughed. "Hold up a moment. He's putting Appa in his barn. I'm sure he'll be coming this way anytime now, just hold-"

Katara rounded a corner and- WHAM!

With a yelp, she tumbled back, away from the sudden barrier in her path.

"Katara!"

She knew that voice. She lifted her blue eyes to meet a pair of gray ones.

Aang stood in front of her, looking travel worn, and slightly taken aback-maybe from their sudden crash. But his surprise lasted only a moment, and before she knew it, Katara was swept into a hug, her feet dangling uselessly in the air as the tall airbender squeezed the air out of her.

"Aang," she gasped, her lungs compressed, "You're here."

Aang set her down, and grinned widely.

"Yes, I'm here. I thought I'd beat you to it, too."

"We just arrived," Katara said, allowing herself to step back and examine her friend, "The ship docked a few hours ago."

Aang looked good despite the light layer of dust, and disheveled clothing. She couldn't remember when it had happened, but sometime between visits to Ba-Sing-Se, and the South Pole, and traveling throughout the nations, Aang had grown up. The short boy, all knees and elbows, had grown into a tall sturdy man. And was that the shadow of a _beard_ on his jaw?

Aang seemed to be giving Katara the same examination.

"You're looking good," he stated, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "Still short though." He had to bend down to accomplish the task.

"I'm not short," Katara defended herself against the familiar opinion, "Everyone else has just grown unnaturally tall."

"Ahem."

With a start, Katara remembered that she and Aang weren't alone on the hallway.

"Suki!" Aang exclaimed, as he dropped his arm and leaned over to give the woman a hug.

"What?" Suki asked as he let go, "Aren't you going to compliment me on my looks too?"

Aang chuckled, and with a flourishing bow, he said "Suki, of the Kyoshi warriors and the Southern Water Tribe, may I say that you look as lovely as a vase of plum blossoms in spring."

Both Katara and Suki burst into laughter as Aang looked up from his ridiculous pose with a loopy grin plastered across his face.

"I don't know, Twinkletoes," said a familiar voice as they quieted, "I think she looks more like that dancing platypus-bear we saw that time in Omashu."

Suki's smile dropped as she turned to face Toph.

"Toph," she began, then stopped. Her temporary hurt fled and her face broke out into another smile.

"Nice" She continued, walking over to the blind girl, "I thought I was impervious to that. Guess not."

Toph evaded the hug Suki had intended to give her, and instead gave the woman a playful punch in the shoulder. Suki grimaced, and said "Good to see you, Toph."

"Hi, Toph," Katara added, coming over to her, but staying out of the punching zone, "How was the flight?"

"Miserable," the girl stated, stamping her feet on the ground for added emphasis, "I hate flying." The ground trembled just a little.

Aang ambled over, and Katara's eyebrows shot up as he draped an arm around Toph's shoulders.

"But flying is so much faster," he said, leaning onto the small earthbender, "And this way we don't have to sail."

Toph grumbled in consensus, but didn't throw Aang's arm off her, or even complain.

_Hmm,_ Katara thought, eyeing the two, noting Toph's faint blush, _I wonder when _that_ happened?_

A door opened down the hall, and a wolf-tailed head stuck itself out.

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, bursting out of the doors, "You guys are here!"

Skidding over to the two newcomers, and ignoring Toph's protest, Sokka gave them an all encompassing hug.

Releasing them, Sokka starting asking about their flight, where they stopped, how the winds were, how long it had taken them, etc.

Katara glanced over to see Suki roll her eyes at Sokka's unending questions, and the waterbender sidled over to her sister-in-law.

"I think we should mention dinner," Suki said in an undertone as Aang was demonstrating something with his hands to a fascinated Sokka, "It's about sunset."

Looking around the hall, she spotted a high window letting in muted sunlight. Katara nodded, but just as she was about to interrupt, a soft cough drew her attention away from the loud group in front of her.

Mina was standing behind her, and after bowing at Katara, she raised her voice politely and said "Excuse me, noble guests, I'm to bring you to dinner."

Her announcement caught the attention of everyone, and when the servant turned and walked down the hall, the group of five friends and family followed her, chatting merrily.


	5. Chapter 5

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Whoohoo! Another chapter, done. **

**I've been having so much fun writing this out:) It's been an idea I've ruminated over for ****years**** but never acted on. It's exciting to see it get down on paper, and up on the web…hehe. **

**Thanks for your reviews. I'll admit. I read a couple nice ones, and I danced around my dorm room. **

**No shame. **

**Enjoy!**

Zuko couldn't remember the last time he had hosted such an...interesting dinner. The fiasco with King Kuei and Bosco was the second, followed closely by his Uncle's last birthday, but this dinner was definitely first for overall confusion, noise and laughter.

He had been pacing slowly in the family dining room- which was still bigger than his bedroom, despite its supposed "intimateness"- when he heard a commotion from the door. Mina had stepped in, opened her mouth to announce his friends, and then she was pushed to the side by Toph, who had said, "We don't need introductions, honey. Sparky's become too uptight if he thinks we need to be announced."

And with that, they descended.

"_What the hell have you been eating, your fireyness? Where did these muscles come from?"_

"_Zuko! How're you? I'm supposed to give you a hug from Iroh. He misses you, and says to make sure you're meditating every morning."_

"_Toph! We haven't all sat down yet! Can't you wait half a second?"_

"_Look Suki. I've achieved it, world peas!"_

"_Are these...sea prunes?"_

"_I've been pushing for a fairer justice system, and better representation of the people but my-"_

"_Shut up and eat something, Sparky. We'll be getting plenty of politics soon enough."_

"_And then, they attacked! Have you ever been charged by eight half grown warrior wannabe's? Have you?!" _

"_I've been traveling a lot lately, but it's been mostly successful. I'm pretty sure that the airbender ability doesn't always show itself every generation. With the last girl we found, her parents said that there had been stories about her great grandmother, but none of her descendants had shown any bending, until little Feni."_

"_So how many are in Ba-Sing-Se right now?"_

"_About 20. I'm thinking of moving out of the city, and building a school."_

"_There's more? I don't know if I could eat anything els- wait, is that cake?"_

"_Toph, would you stop metalbending my fork?"_

After dinner, they had eased their ways out of the dining room, and moved down the hall to another small chamber. This one was equipped with floor cushions and a large, low tea table.

Looking around the room, Zuko smiled to himself. It was nice to be together again.

Sokka and Suki were leaning on each other. Suki nursed a small cup of tea, and Sokka was munching on a few fire flakes. Aang was reclining on three pillows and throwing berries up into the air for Momo to catch-when had the lemur-monkey joined them? Toph was rambling on about the last Earth Rumble match she had won, while Zuko nodded distractedly and pretended he was listening. And Katara was sitting quietly to his left, studying her tea, which she was freezing and unfreezing, seemingly unconsciously.

"If you don't want to hear about my new move, Zuko, just say something."

Zuko glanced back at the eartbeder to find her glaring in his general direction.

"I was just thinking," He said softly, noting that Katara had looked back up from her now iced over tea, "That it's nice that we're all here. You know, together."

Aang laughed at him from his cushions, "Careful Zuko. You're starting to sound like Iroh. Last time I went to the Jasmine Dragon, he almost teared up and started reminiscing about the good old days, when he chased me around the world with you in tow."

"He was probably just surprised at how much you've grown," Suki put in, "and I know how he feels. Every time I see you, I swear you've grown another inch."

The avatar stretched out slowly on his cushions, extending his arms and legs out as far as possible, taking up a fair amount of space and grinning widely as he did.

"Some of us," He said as he returned to his previous recline, "Are still growing. Isn't that right, Katara-Hey!"

He was cut off by a sudden rain of iced tea droplets, pelting him from above.

Zuko saw Katara smirk, then say "That's the second time you've mentioned my height in one evening. I don't know why it fascinates you so much."

"Maybe," said Sokka, "it's because you were taller than him for the first two years you knew each other. I mean, you were taller than me for a little while growing up, and trust me, I had to live with that shame for months. It's not easy."

"Well, I think height doesn't matter, You all look the same to me." Toph stated, sipping her tea serenely.

"Nice try, kid." Zuko said, giving her a gentle shove on the shoulder. The tea sloshed a little, but didn't spill.

Toph shrugged.

"I try."

Suki leaned over to Sokka, and with a grin, whispered something in his ear.

"Hey, Katara?" Sokka asked, looking over to his sister, "Suki has a theory. She thinks you've got a thing for guys who are taller than you. How tall would you say Lakkin is?"

Katara went stiff, and glared at her brother.

He continued, guffawing a little "But that wouldn't really make sense, because almost every guy you know is taller than you."

"Who's Lakkin?'

It was out of his mouth before he knew he had asked it.

_Stupid._

The occupants of the room stared at Zuko, although Toph's aim was off; She was looking past his shoulder.

Katara cleared her throat.

"He's my fiancé."

"Oh, yeah."

_Stupid. She already mentioned that. You should have made that connection._

"He's the son of the chief of the Western Tribe. We met when he was sent with a group of emissaries who introduced themselves to our tribe."

That made sense.

The Western Tribe hadn't always been a water tribe. It was made of a handful of islands that were home to escaped waterbenders and fugitives of the past Firelords. Over the course of the century long war, it had grown, hiding in the western waters of the Fire Nation.

At the end of the war, and with the crowning of a new Firelord, they had emerged. Sending groups of ambassadors to the nations, they declared themselves a new, independent faction of the Water Tribes, and only requested that they be allowed to continue living on their islands, and living in their ways.

Zuko remembered meeting the Western Tribesmen for the first time, and having to damper his anger. The men he met exuded a faint hint of arrogance, as if they had survived the war not by being cowards but by their intelligence, and Zuko had to control his urge to dismiss them all. Once he had tamed his temper, he allowed himself to see the benefits of having this Tribe situated next to his nation; it demonstrated his willingness as the new Firelord to live in peace with all the nations, even ones he personally thought were cowardly.

Katara was still speaking.

"And that's ridiculous, Sokka. I don't base my feelings for people on their height. I'm marrying Lakkin because-"

Zuko waited for a declaration of love. He knew Katara was never one to shy away from telling others how she felt. He braced himself for an onslaught of emotions.

It never came.

Katara had stopped, and after realizing that everyone was looking at her expectantly, she huffed out "Oh! I don't have to explain this to you all. You guys look like you've never heard of two people getting married before."

"Hey!" Sokka interjected, "What are Suki and I? Siblings?"

"Yuck. If you're heart sped up for Katara the way it does for Suki..." Toph made a disgusted face, contorting her otherwise lovely features.

Aang chuckled, and continued throwing Momo berries.

"So," Zuko said to Katara, "When did you get engaged?"

Sokka groaned, muttered something that sounded like "here we go again" and turning to Suki, began talking about making a trip to see Master Piando.

"Last year. We've known each other for more than three years though."

"Did he travel to the Southern Water tribe often."

Katara shook her head, "No."

"Then how did you get to know him?"

"Lakkin actually lived in the South Pole until last year. Bentin, his father, wanted to demonstrate his willingness to get along with the Water Tribes. So he sent his son to be an ambassador to our people"

At this Katara frowned a little, "Although, I still think that they could have shown their 'willingness to get along' by helping us in the past 100 years."

So that bugged her as well? Zuko felt a small surge of relief that he wasn't the only one who didn't like the Western Tribes actions- or lack thereof- during the war.

"Was it-" He hesitated to go on. He knew that many marriages in the Water Tribes were arranged, a practice that had all but died out in the Fire Nation. And Katara hadn't actually said anything about how she felt for her fiancé... "Was it an arranged engagement?"

Surprise flickered across Katara's face, her eyes widening.

_I guess not_, he thought to himself.

Katara laughed shortly, "It wasn't arranged. Lakkin asked, and I accepted. It was my choice."

Zuko nodded, trying to decipher the look that lingered on her face. It reminded him of something.

But, before he could decide on what he had seen on her face, Katara stood up.

"I'm going to turn in for the night," she stated, brushing of her dress, "I'll see you all in the morning."

Zuko watched as she navigated her way out of the room amidst a chorus of "Goodnight, Katara." "Sleep well, Sweetness, don't let the fireflies bite." and "'Night, Sis."

She paused to give Suki a kiss on the cheek, then slipped out the door.

Conversation started up again, and Zuko listened to Aang's descriptions of his new airbender students halfheartedly, all the while wondering why the room suddenly felt much colder.

./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

The heat was smothering her.

Katara tossed about in her enormous bed, struggling with the suffocating mass of silken sheets. She'd gone to bed almost three hours ago, but sleep wouldn't come.

She _was_ tired, but the more she longed for sleep, the more elusive it became.

With a groan, she sat up. If she couldn't get some rest she might as well do something with her time, instead of flopping around her monstrosity of a bed.

She threw back the sheets, slid off the mattress, and walked towards the door, pausing a moment to slip a loose linen dress over her nightgown.

The hallway was just as oppressive, and Katara walked quickly down the dimly lit halls. She didn't see anyone. She made turn after turn, looking for a window, a courtyard, anything that would get her out of the heat. Her skin felt prickly, and she longed for a whiff of fresh air.

She stopped walking suddenly, and smacked her forehead.

She had a window in her room! She had stood out on the balcony just that afternoon. _Why hadn't that helped_...then Katara remembered that when she had come back to her rooms earlier that evening, they had been prepared for the night. Someone, probably Mina, had pulled the sheets back on the bed, lit a few candles, and-as Katara now realized- pulled heavy velvet curtains over the windows and door to the balcony. She could head back to her rooms, and open them back up.

She turned, intent on returning the way she came. But- _How did I get here?_

Her walk through the halls had been swift, and she hadn't been paying attention to her path but focusing on her misery.

_Brilliant, Katara,_ she thought bitterly, looking around, _How are you supposed to get back?_

She traced her steps back to another hallway, where she stood at a loss. For the life of her, she couldn't remember which way she had come from.

_Left? Right?_

She turned left, praying that it was the right way.

10 minutes later, she was utterly lost. The hallways all looked the same, lit by a few torches, and graced by a few huge doors, all of which were shut.

Katara was contemplating whether or not she should just scream, and wait for someone to come running when she felt a whisper of fresh air. Following the faint scent of open sky, she made another turn, and found herself in another hall. This one, however, was different. On one side, it was identical to the other hallways she had passed through, with two large doors along the left wall. The right wall, however, was open to the night, and, to Katara's delight, a garden.

She ignored the wide doorway that was halfway down the hall, and instead, lept over the low wall, and through the open window, landing on soft grass.

The garden was actually a small courtyard, but there was no stone ground to be seen. Instead, a carpet of grass tickled against Katara's bare feet as she stepped into the dark garden.

The moon lent enough light for her to see carefully tended flowers, trees and bushes. A night-lark cried out softly from somewhere in the plants, making her jump.

Exploring the space further, Katara came to a small pond, nestled close to a large, bent willow. The water had no current, but still gurgled softly, as if happy to see her.

She sank to the grass, folded her knees beneath her, and closing her eyes, she relished the soft breeze on her skin, the scent of growing things, and the sound of water.

She didn't know how long she sat there, relaxing in the night. At some point, she unfolded her legs, and laid down against the willow, which despite a few lumps, was rather comfortable.

She had, Katara realized, become quite sick of being surrounded by people all the time. Ever since her engagement, she had hardly had a moment to herself, and then once it was decided that the Joining of the Water Tribes was to be held in the South Pole, she had been helping with that too.

Maybe she was being selfish, but she sometimes she longed for her childhood. For days filled with nothing but Gran-gran's stories and exploring with Sokka. Everything had changed so quickly! If she thought back to it, she could recall the exact color of her favourite childhood blanket or the smell of the first thaw she remembered.

And know her time was monopolized by her familial obligations, plans for her wedding, and, now, this upcoming conference. With a sigh, Katara knew she _was _being selfish. Her family, her tribe needed her. But...

Katara couldn't remember the last time she had gone to bed without worries on her mind, or the last time she had danced.

She hadn't seen grass in a year, and to be laying on it felt like a luxury that even the Firelord couldn't afford. Sliding down into the slightly damp tangle of grass, she turned her cheek to the ground and breathed in the heady scent of dirt and wet and life.

It was intoxicating.

She opened her eyes slightly, and stared up at the sky through the wispy branches of the willow. The stars stayed their courses, and the half-full moon glowed softly. If she squinted at it she could make out the-

A shadow blocked her view of the moon, and she blinked.

"Katara?"

She bolted into a sitting position.

"Zuko?"

The shadow materialized into the firebender, but with only the faint light from the skies, she couldn't make out his face.

"Why are you here?" He asked, his voice sounding deeper than it had at dinner.

_Maybe it's the dark_, Katara thought with a shiver as Zuko sat himself down next to her.

"I couldn't sleep," she answered, "And then I went for a walk, and got lost and ended up here."

A thought struck her, and she asked, horrified, "Is this a private garden? Am I not supposed to come here? Zuko, I didn't mean-"

"No, you fine," he said firmly, cutting her off, "It's just that this garden is pretty far away from the west wing, where your rooms are. You must have walked a long way."

"I think so. I was just so hot in my rooms, and I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd find some fresh air."

She waited for him to say something, but a silence set in. It was uncomfortable for a few moments, but then Katara relaxed. This was Zuko. One thing she was sure of was that he didn't feel the need to create empty conversation. If he didn't want her here, he would have said something.

They sat side by side in the dark, and Katara looked back up at the sky, watching the stars swim in the sea of dark.

She blinked once. The stars stopped moving. Maybe she was more tired than she had thought. The dew had fallen while she had sat, and Katara shivered.

"Are you cold?" Zuko broke the silence.

Katara shrugged, "A little, but I think I better-"

A swift flurry of action stopped her speech, and she was suddenly enveloped in a large, warm mantle. Zuko had slipped off his large overcoat, and settled it over her shoulders.

She was caught off guard by the brief sensation of his arms around her, and then by the faint scent of sandalwood and citrus.

She breathed out a "thank you" and then fell back into silence.

The heat lingered in the threads of the coat for awhile, and they sat in stillness for a bit more.

Finally, she shifted and said, "I should probably get back to my room."

Zuko stood up fluidly, then offered a hand down to her. She accepted, and allowed herself to be pulled up.

She found herself facing his chest, and for half a second, Katara had the thought that they fit together perfectly; his chin would just rest on her head.

Then Zuko stepped back, taking the warmth she had taken for granted with him.

"I'll take you back to your room," he said, leading the way out of the garden.

They walked down the halls without talking, while Katara tried to memorize the way; She wanted to be able to get back to that garden.

She asked suddenly, "What was that place?"

"It was my mother's garden," he said, while Katara quickly looked over at him, "She had it remodeled from an old training courtyard a few years after she moved here."

A wave of guilt flooded her.

"Zuko," she almost whispered, "I'm sorry if I intruded in your personal space. It won't happen again."

And she meant it. If Zuko didn't want her to be in his mother's garden, she wouldn't go back.

Surprised dashed across Zuko's face, making his scar twitch almost comically.

"It's all right," he said, as they rounded another corner, "I'm usually the only one who goes there anymore, except the gardeners, but that's only because it's located next to the royal family's rooms. And I'm the only person living in that wing," and at this he looked down at her and smiled crookedly, "Katara, feel free to go back anytime. I think my mother had it built so she could escape the palace for a little while, and I think she would have liked you to use it too."

They were now walking through a hallway that looked more familiar than most. Looking around, Katara was thinking she was sure she recognized that large, ornamental vase when Zuko stopped in front of some doors.

They were hers.

"Thanks!" She said brightly, "I'm pretty sure I would have wandered through the palace until morning if I hadn't found the garden. "

"It can be pretty confusing," Zuko admitted wryly, "When I was a kid, I had to carry a map with me when I left my rooms because I got lost easily."

His mouth twitched.

"Would you like me to make you one?"

"A map?"

He nodded, "That way you can find you way back to the garden anytime. And not get lost along the way."

She grinned up at him, "That would be great, Zuko. Thanks for-" She yawned widely- "Bringing me back."

"Anytime. And usually," he added, "There are a few servants walking the halls, so if you ever do get lost again, you should be able to find one."

"Usually? I didn't see anyone tonight."

"It's the Lily Festival."

"Sorry?"

"It's the festival we celebrate during the few weeks that the fire lilies bloom," He explained, and reaching over to the vase that stood by her door, he plucked a flower from the bouquet it held.

"They bloom once a year, and during that time villages and cities hold weeklong celebrations. It's kind of like a holiday."

Zuko handed her the flower. It was beautiful, bobbing delicately on a long stem, with it's curved petals a vibrant red.

"_They're called fire lilies..."_

For a moment, Katara was swept into her memories, and the raspy voice of Hama came back to her, along with the vision of the circle of dead flowers in a field.

She suppressed a shudder; Her nightmares didn't belong in the waking world.

She took the lily gently, and turned into her doorway.

"Goodnight Zuko," she said over her shoulder, "Thanks for bringing me back."

She caught a glimpse of the Firelord's face as she shut the door, hearing his soft "goodnight."

Katara crawled onto her bed, fully clothed, and laid the flower down next to her. She fell asleep with the smell of it drifting through her head, and something else, something that reminded her of...

When she woke up in the morning, she discovered she was still wrapped in Zuko's robe.


	6. Chapter 6

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Here's another chapter! **

**I've been blatantly disregarding a really long, really important essay that's due really soon, so be patient if it takes awhile for my next update…but, who knows? Maybe I'll just ignore the most-of-my-grade-for-the-expensive-college-class paper, and write my fanfic instead. It definitely sounds like **_**way**_** more fun! **

**Reviewreviewreview! **

**And I'm totally open to constructive criticism, and ideas for y'all:)**

**Enjoy, and **

"**May the Sun shine bright upon your backs and the waves wash away your sorrows." **

**(Isn't that poetic? Hehe.)**

Aang, Mina informed a sleepy Katara, as she brought in a tray of tea that morning, was with the Firelord, in the bending courtyard.

Katara made quick work of the tea, and then of a bath, though she still allowed herself to relish in the luxurious tub. She almost fell asleep again, surrounded by the hot water and perfumed steam.

Once she forced herself to leave the bathroom, she found Mina had opened the drapes over the balcony, and the sun had just cleared the horizon. Katara blinked in the sudden light, then turned to find the servant had laid out a formal dress.

She was not going to be wearing that today. The dark green dress Mina had laid out was lovely, but it was made of wool. And the room already felt warm at this time in the morning!

"Thank you, Mina, but I'll choose what to wear today."

The woman looked taken aback, "But Lady Katara- I mean, Katara," A look from the waterbender had reminded the servant to use her real name, "I'm your personal maid. It's my duty to help you in every way."

Katara sighed. She didn't really want a personal maid.

"I know, but I'm used to doing things on my own" She said as she walked over to the wardrobe and started shuffling through her mostly woolen clothes. _Too hot. Too long. Fur?! I really need to go... _"Actually, Mina, what I would really appreciate is if we could go shopping later. All my clothing," she motioned to the wardrobe, "Is a little too warm for the Fire Nation."

Mina, who had looked crestfallen when Katara had implied she didn't need her, brightened visibly.

"I have a cousin who works at the best shop in the capitol!" She exclaimed, "Would you like to go there?"

Katara nodded as she pulled out a pair of wide, cropped, dark blue pants, and a long, loose tunic that was a light gray.

"That would be lovely," she stated as she began to pull on the clothes, "Do you think we could go this afternoon? I think that if I go to dinner in one of these dresses, I might faint."

The servant smiled, and said "Yes, I'll arrange a palanquin for this afternoon."

"No palanquin," Katara stated as she put on a pair of soft leather slippers, "I'll walk."

Mina looked shocked once more, then sighed and agreed.

Katara was pretty sure the girl had decided that she was crazy and that it would be best to indulge the foreign waterbender while she was here.

Katara finished dressing, and as she tied a small sash around her waist, asked, "Would you bring me to the bending courtyard?"

Mina nodded, and walked towards the door. As Katara followed her, she saw Zuko's robe from the night before, laid across the corner of the bed. She dashed back, grabbed it, and followed Mina out the door.

"And this," she said, handing the garment to the woman, "Belongs to the Firelord. Would you make sure it gets back to him?"

Mina bent her head in acquiescence, and folding the robe over her arm. Katara couldn't see her eyes, but she had a feeling that is she could, they would be bright with interest. Mina led the way through the halls, which were now much brighter than the previous night, thanks to skylights she hadn't noticed before.

It took them about five minutes to reach the bending courtyard. Katara was lost after just a few turns, but Mina walked on, obviously sure of the way.

The courtyard itself was rather plain, just a large, open rectangle, dotted with large rocks. At one of the space was a long, water filled trench.

Katara smiled as she stepped out into the shadowed space- the sun wasn't high enough to shine into the courtyard, and so it was still rather cool.

She looked around for Aang and Zuko. They weren't in the yard. She turned to ask Mina if she was sure this was where they were, but the woman had already left.

_Great_, thought Katara as she stepped further out, _Now I have no one to take me back-_

With a yell, something fell in front of her. Rather, someone.

Aang jumped up, and saw Katara staring at him.

"Oh," he said breathlessly, glancing around quickly, "Hi, Katara, I didn't know you were-"

Another yell punctured the air, and this time, Zuko dropped to the courtyard from somewhere above Katara, somersaulting on impact, and straightening immediately.

Aang took a deep breath, and lashing out his leg, shot a spout of flame at the firelord.

Katara backed up as the two men continued their sparring. The previously cool courtyard had become much warmer.

She leaned against a wall, noting that the two benders had dropped from the gently sloped roofs that surrounded the area. How had they gotten up there?

Her question was answered as she watched Aang propel himself 20 feet through the air with fists of fire. Zuko rolled out of the way as Aang crashed into the ground where had just stood, and jumped up, sending a twisting whip of fire at the other man.

It was fascinating to watch them. Aang must have promised to only use firebending, for he didn't use any of the other elements, and the men were very equally matched.

They performed a kind of dance as they sparred, twisting and ducking and diving around each other.

Both of them were shirtless, and Katara could see their chests heaving, and dully glinting with sweat.

The duel ended suddenly, as Aang sent a massive wall of fire at Zuko, and then jumped forward with it. As Zuko split the wave of fire, Aang flew threw the fissure, and knocked the older man down, landing on top of him.

Zuko glared up at Aang for a moment, then his face broke into a smile. He shoved the avatar off his chest, and stood up.

"That was good," he said, gruffly as he and Aang started walking towards the water trough at the end of the courtyard, "You've improved since the last time we sparred. Have you been practicing often?"

Katara stepped out from the wall to greet them as Aang answered, "Not as much as I'd like, what with my new students, but sometimes I convince Iroh to leave the tea shop for a morning and watch my bending practises. He gives great advice."

Zuko "mhmm"ed in agreement.

"Good morning," Katara said as they came up to her, "You both looked pretty good out there."

She had meant bending-wise, but the thought that they both looked good _physically_ jumped into her head.

It was true. Aang had bulked up in the past years, and now sported a sturdy set of muscles. The way he moved reminded her a little of the polar bear dogs that could be seen running through her home city; Sturdy, always in motion, and practically immovable unless they wanted to be moved. It seemed a little at odds with his original bending, air being a fluid element, but maybe it was his bodies way of showing that he didn't completely belong to air.

And he was good looking. His facial features combined to create a face one wouldn't forget, not with those eyes and that jaw...

Zuko interrupted her thoughts, as he moved to the trough and splashed some water on his face, causing Katara to inspect him.

If Aang reminded her of a polar bear dog, then Zuko reminded her of a polar leopard- the spotted silver coated predators that roamed the poles in isolation. She had seen a polar leopard attack a seal before, and it had been the most frightening display of controlled power she had ever seen. The large cat had crept forward on the ice, shoulders rolling sensuously as it did. It had been completely silent, and the poor seal probably never knew what hit it; When it had pounced, the polar leopard streaked through the air, landing with precision upon its prey.

And like the silent hunter she had watched long ago, the firelord had a certain beauty. She knew that many people might think of his scar as disfiguring, but Katara disagreed. It took away from his otherwise perfect features- high cheekbones, defined brows, slightly slanted eyes, strong mouth- and made him seem less imposing...more human.

He was long, and sleek as well, not quite as substantial as Aang but certainly well muscled. Zuko was pulling a tunic on, and Katara watched his back muscles roll as he-

"Katara?" Aang asked, cocking his head to the side.

She felt a blush rise in her cheeks. She'd been ogling at Zuko while Aang was trying to talk to her!

"Sorry, Aang, I was just...thinking."

He raised an eyebrow, but continued, "Did you come here to practice? Or do you want to have to breakfast with Zuko and I?"

Zuko strode over as she answered, "I was thinking about bending, but if you two are going to go eat I'll come along, and practice later."

"Sounds good," said Zuko, who showed no signs of mentioning her late night wanderings.

She walked with the two men over to one of the four large doorways that led into the courtyard, pausing to wait as Aang threw a shirt on, then followed Zuko as he led the way through more halls.

She was almost sure that she recognized the hallway they were in, when Zuko turned and entered into the room where they had dinner the night before. The wall of windows, which had been dark last night, now let in a flood of light, which illuminated the low table which they sat themselves at, and the bowls of steaming food that awaited them.

The two men fell on the food, helping themselves to everything within reach.

_They must have been sparring a long time_, Katara thought with amusement, as she chose her breakfast carefully. Everything looked delicious, but she had learned that fire nation food had a nasty habit of containing vicious spices, that burned her tongue and made her eyes water.

She ended up with a bowl full of roasted mango and a delightfully tangy, creamy something, which Zuko called "yogurt".

Once Zuko and Aang had slowed down a little, they talked about Aang's new students.

Once Ozai had been defeated, a trickle of airbenders had made their way into the open. None of them had any training, and they ranged in all ages. They had escaped death by hiding their bending, and through much luck.

Now, bolstered by the fact that new Firelord seemed content to rule his own nation, and that the avatar was friends with him, airbenders travelled to Ba-Sing-Se - Aang's official home-and studied under the only man alive who could remember the ways of the Air Nomads.

Katara had seen some of them practice when she had last been in the capitol of the Earth Kingdom. She'd watched Aang lead a young girl, and a man old enough to be her father through basic bending maneuvers. When the man had succeeded in making a whirlwind, he'd grinned while the little girl clapped her hands enthusiastically and laughed. Katara had almost cried.

"I've been looking at a plot of land about a days ride on north from the Outer Wall," Aang said, "It's pretty close to a medium sized village, and I've already talked to the village headman, who says he'd be thrilled to have my school so close."

"Are there any buildings on it already?" Katara asked.

Aang nodded, "It used to be a noble's summer home, so there's a stable, and the main house, and these wild gardens." He shook his head, "It's beautiful there, it sits on this bluffs that just shoot up out of the surrounding farmland. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy it," He stated, "It actually belongs to a merchant in the town, who bought it from someone else, but he's offering it at a really great price."

"Is the land on top of the bluffs farmable?" Zuko asked, "Or will you buy food from the village?"

"I've been thinking about that," the airbender said, "And I think that we're going to work really hard to become a part of the village. One of the things I have come to realize is that when the Air Nomads cut themselves off from the world, they allowed themselves to become aliens to those who didn't know them. It made it that much easier for them to be persecuted in the end. So, we'll buy supplies from the village, and get to know the people we live with."

Zuko nodded, and Katara put in "I think that will work wonderfully, Aang."

The door opened, and Sokka and Suki came in, looking well rested.

"Morning," Sokka said as he settled himself next to Katara, and started examining his choices for breakfast.

Suki sat down next to him, and asked, "Do we have any plans for the day?"

"Yeah," Zuko replied, "But if you guys want to do your own thing, that's alright too. I was just thinking we could go out for a ride this morning. There are some pretty spectacular waterfalls to the east of the palace, and if we take Appa, we'll be able to fly over some fire lily fields."

Katara put in her "Sounds good" as the rest of the people at the table voiced their approval.

"Great," quipped a dry voice from the doorway, "I'd love to go on a scenic trip."

Tohp was leaning on the doorframe.

Katara laughed with the others.

"Come on, Toph," she said cajolingly, "I won't be that bad."

MMMMMMMMMMMM

"That was boring," Toph complained as they landed back at Appa's barn midafternoon.

Katara rolled her eyes, relishing the fact that Toph couldn't see it, and then said "You have to admit, that cave behind the waterfall was pretty cool. And the rock that looked like Sokka?"

Toph shrugged, but a smile softened her face.

"Well I had fun." Aang stated as he jumped off Appa and landed lightly on the ground, "And you did too, Toph. Admit it."

The blind girl grumbled a moment, then muttered, "Fine, I had fun. Happy now, Twinkletoes?"

"Nope," he replied, "Not until you jump off Appa. I'll catch you."

Katara slid off the flying bison's back, giving him a couple pats while she watched Toph argue with Aang. She heard 'ridiculous" and "pigheaded boy" as Zuko slid down beside her.

He grinned, "You think she'd just get down on her own. She's done it a thousand times before."

Katara looked up at him, noticing that his hair had started to come out of it's simple bun, and said "I think she's enjoying it."

And she was right. Toph's face was flushed, and she was holding back a grin as she shouted "Fine!" and without another word flung herself off Appa and into the air.

Just before she collided with the stone ground, Aang swooped her up, catching her by her waist, and after spinning her once, deposited her safely on the ground.

The small woman laughed loudly, and walked with Aang to put Appa back in his barn.

Suki and Sokka had disappeared through the side entrance- at least that's what she thought she had heard Zuko call it- leaving Katara and Zuko standing in the courtyard alone.

Zuko reached into his tunic pocket, and pulled out a piece of folded paper,

"Here," he said, handing it to Katara.

She opened it and was momentarily confused by the dense lines and curves depicted on the paper. But then she realized-

"It's a map!" She cried, delighted.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed as they started walking towards the entrance to the palace, "I made it for you."

_He made it for me?_

"Thanks," she said, "When did you have the time?"

"Last night."  
"Last night?" She repeated, "But you must have been up so late. I mean, I don't even know when I returned to my rooms, after the garden."

She looked at him suspiciously, "Are you getting enough sleep?"

He laughed, a lovely, low sound.

"You're sounding like my uncle. Everytime he writes, he says"- and at this Zuko's voice morphed into a almost recognizable version of Iroh's- "Make sure you sleep enough, eat enough, meditate enough, and run your country well. But"- here he held up his first finger, and wagged it- "Don't forget to have fun, and enjoy yourself. You're only young for so long."

Katara grinned, "He's a wise man, your uncle."

"He is," Zuko agreed, "But I don't think he realizes just how much time running a nation takes. Anyway, I enjoyed making the map. I dug up my old one, from when I was a child and copied it, adding in the changes."

'Thank you," Katara said again, then smirked, "Here! Let _me_ lead the way back."

Zuko made a ridiculously extravagant bow for her, and murmured, "After you, Lady Katara."

The waterbender threw her nose into the air, and flounced through large doors, and down the halls, a laughing Zuko in her wake.

She turned the corner to the hall that showed up as where her room was, and found Mina waiting outside her bedroom door.

The servant bowed to Zuko, and then to Katara.

"I know you've just come back, my lady," Mina said, not noticing Katara's frown over her title, "But I was wondering if you still wished to go into the city this afternoon."

Shopping!

"Yes, Mina. I'll be ready in just a moment."

Katara looked up at Zuko, who was watching her with a clear question written on his features.

"Mina's taking me shopping in the city," she explained, "All my clothes are suited for cold weather, and if I wear wool in these temperatures, I'll most likely faint from the heat."

A thought crossed her mind, and she voiced it, "I better ask Suki and Sokka if they want to come along as well. I think Sokka insisted on bringing some _furs_ along."

"I'll provide an escort for you then," Zuko said, as he started to turn away, "They'll be waiting by the side entrance."

"Wait, Zuko," Katara exclaimed as he began to walk down the hall, "We don't need an escort. It's just in the city, and I don't want to be a bother. Besides," she added as she saw the skeptical look cross his face, "Mina's taking us. She knows where to go."

"I still think-"

"We'll be fine," She stated, and on an impulse, she stepped to his side, and gave him a quick hug, "But thanks for worrying. It's sweet."

The firelord blushed.

"And thanks for the morning," she added as she walked into her rooms, "I had a great time."


	7. Chapter 7

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Finally! I had the time to write another chapter. It's a lovely feeling, ignoring homework and typing late into the night:) **

**I hope you enjoy…**

**(reviewreviewreviewvreviewreview) **

***Oh, and share with all your friends! **

Zuko spent the afternoon in his study, wading through the piles of documents that needed his attention. He had a stack for his advisors, of things he didn't have to see to himself, but it was considerably smaller than his own.

But, by the time the sun had begun to lose its strength in the sky, he had made great progress; he could see the faded, scratched wood of his desk beneath the papers.

He had taken the desk from his uncle's old rooms, after Iroh had expressed that he didn't wish to live at the palace. Zuko knew Uncle Iroh loved his tea shop, and that he didn't miss living at court, but his absence frustrated the firelord.

During the first year of his rule, Zuko had felt slightly abandoned by his uncle. Iroh had been Zuko's only family for so long, and when Zuko had been thrust into the role of Firelord, Iroh moved to Ba-Sing-Se, leaving his nephew to fend for himself.

Looking back, Zuko could appreciate what his uncle had done. Instead of allowing Zuko to rely heavily upon him, as Zuko now knew he would have done, Iroh had forced Zuko to step up and take on the responsibilities of running his nation. And the old man hadn't left Zuko completely alone; Mashi had been a close friend of Iroh's, and many of Zuko's advisors had been recommended by the old general. They often reminded the young man of his uncle, and always provided excellent insights.

Zuko fingered the scratched surface of the desk for a moment, noting the place where he had etched a rather crude picture into the wood at the age of 6. Iroh, instead of raging about the defacing of his property, had laughed about it, and added his own figure to the surface.

Sighing, Zuko pushed himself away from the desk, and stood up. He missed his uncle.

The firelord left his study, and walked down the halls of the palace, no destination in his mind. He had made many changes to the palace after his coronation, for not only had he been made uncomfortable by the sheer opulence of his new home, but also of the memories held in its walls. The stifling, and overwhelming red theme had been cast off, replaced with more neutral tones for the walls and decor. There were still relics and emblems of the Fire Nation throughout the palace, but it wasn't overdone. And Zuko had insisted on more windows. One of the things his banishment had taught him was to enjoy the freedom of open sky and light. He'd commissioned skylights for the hallways, and had knocked down parts of walls to make way for large windows.

The finished product, in high contrast to the close walled, almost cage-like palace of his youth, was somewhere where Zuko could roam comfortably and feel at home.

His wanderings took him to the bending courtyard, where he found Sokka stretching, alone. The light sheen of sweat that covered the man indicated that he had probably already been practicing with the long sword that lay by his side.

"Hello," Zuko said, stepping into the courtyard.

Sokka glanced up from his stretch, and grinned.

"Zuko! Where did you end up this afternoon?"

"I was working," he answered, coming over to where Sokka sat, "And you?"

"Suki convinced me to go into the city with her, and Katara. Aang and Toph came along too, but they took off after they realized we were going shopping," at this Sokka shrugged, "Some people just can't appreciate the art of finding things."

"Did you? Find any...things?"

The water tribesmen stood up and rolled his shoulders, "Of course. Katara and Suki spent most of their time in this clothing shop, but after I found some clothes, I stopped into this accessory store, and look!"

Zuko examined the belt that was shoved under his nose. It seemed like any other leather belt he had seen. There was some nice detail by the buckle, but-

"It has pockets on the inside!" Sokka explained, turning the belt so Zuko could see that there were, indeed, multiple flat pockets lining the belt, "It's perfect for holding money, and rocks, and string and...stuff."

"Sure," Zuko said, trying not to laugh as Sokka thought for things that would fit in the small, flat pockets, "When did you guys get back?"

"About an hour ago. I think Katara and Suki went to try everything on. I'm not sure where Aang and Toph are."

Speaking of those two... "Sokka, are Aang and Toph-well-are they...?"

Sokka nodded, "Yeah. I don't they've made it official, but they are as close to dating as you can be."

"Huh," Zuko frowned a little, "I never thought..."

"I know, right? Actually, I think the only reason it works is because they're so different. They kind of..."

"Even each other out?" Zuko supplied.

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, "I mean, Katara and Aang? They didn't even make it two months. I think that they-"

"What?" Zuko asked, suddenly very interested in the conversation.

"I think they got sick of seeing themselves in the other, you know? I couldn't bear to live with myself, I know that."

Zuko had been aware of the end of the short relationship between the waterbender and the avatar. Aang had left Ba-Sing-Se after the breakup, and stayed in the Fire Nation. Zuko remembered being unsure whether the younger boy was heartbroken, or relieved it was over. At the time, Zuko hadn't really paid much attention to it, being immersed in his new role.

But now, he wondered how Katara had felt after it. He knew she had returned to the South Pole, and he even received a cheery letter from her, telling him to write her once she got home.

Sokka had started to walk towards the door.

"Hey, Zuko, when's dinner?"

Zuko strode over to catch up with the other man, "Pretty soon. Are you going to clean up?"

Sokka smelled like he had been working hard.

"Yep," the other man said, "Next time I practice, you should come too. I haven't dueled with you in ages."

"I'd like that. Although, I'll probably beat you again."

Sokka gave him a rough shove.

"You cheated last time."

Zuko grinned, "Just because you chose to use only one sword doesn't mean that I'm cheating for using two."

"Whatever," mumbled Sokka.

The firelord and the water tribe warrior parted ways at Sokka's door, while Zuko continued on to his own rooms. He felt grimy from the day, and needed a bath and change of clothes before dinner.

With a nod to his guard, Lio, Zuko swept into his rooms, past the high wall of windows, and into the bathroom.

His bath was short, but effective, and by the time he climbed out, he felt immeasurably better.

The light was quickly dying as he searched for comfortable clothes, and so with a deep breath, and a few flicks of his hands, he lit the lamps positioned high on his bedroom walls, driving away the shadows that had begun to besiege his rooms.

Last night had been a more formal dinner, and Zuko had sat through it in his very formal robes, trying to ignore the itch created by the embroidery on his collar. Tonight, he slipped on a pair of dark, linen pants and soft boots.

Pausing in front of the mirror before he put on the dark gold shirt he had grabbed, Zuko inspected his reflection.

He looked very much as he ever did. Pale skin, wide shoulders, a well defined body built on a long frame. His two major scars were obvious and eye catching, both products of fire, and his own family. The variety of smaller scars he had acquired throughout his years were less noticeable, but they still remained.

He refused to grow the facial hair that he now could; he thought it made him look like his father. And he did see shadows of Ozai's features in his face, but, he was proud to note, he was more Ursa's son than Ozai's.

He turned from the mirror, pulling on his shirt. _I wonder what Lakkin looks like _flitted through his mind.

Zuko smoothed the light fabric of his shirt, then reached back and pulled his slight damp hair into a half bun, letting the bottom half lie down, brushing his shoulders.

_What does it matter what he looks like?_ He thought rather sternly to himself and then _I wonder if I'll be invited to the wedding..._

His chest tightened at the unexpected thought. He could almost imagine Katara in wedding finery, standing before a priest, at the side of some unknown man.

The tightening in his chest became an almost tangible pain.

Zuko frowned, then dismissed it, walking out of his rooms.

He could have taken the short route to the dining room, but instead, he walked towards the west wing, taking his time.

He turned down the hall where his guests were staying and BAM!

Something collided with his head, sending him staggering back. Through the ringing in his ears he heard a horrified voice exclaim, "Zuko! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

It was Katara, and she had opened her door just as he walked past it.

"I'm fine" he said as he straightened and looked at her.

For the second time in as many moments, Zuko felt as if he had been struck, although admittedly, this was a far better view than the door in his face.

Katara looked stunning.

She was wearing a long, sheer green tunic, over a deep gray sleeveless dress. A thin sash was tied at her slender waist. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders and back, falling in loose chestnut curls. The colors she wore made her light eyes stand out in her tanned face. The neckline of the tunic wasn't especially low cut, but it did bring attention to her long - her betrothal necklace.

Zuko blinked. Katara was still speaking.

"I didn't know anyone was out here, and I thought I was going to be late for dinner, and-Oh, Zuko. I'm sorry."

She reached up and brushed his forehead.

"I think I bruised you."

A shock ran through him, starting where her fingertips brushed his skin.

Zuko cleared his throat, and said "I'm fine" again, trying to ignore the heat spiraling through his chest. It was more than his usual inner flame, which always kept him comfortably warm.

"Are you going to dinner?"

Dinner. Right.

"Yeah. Want to walk with me?"

"Sure," said Katara, closing her door, "But let me lead the way."

With that, she pulled out the map he had made for her, and started down the hall.

He watched her walk away, hips swaying gently, before shaking his head and catching up to her.

"Katara?" He asked as he kept pace with her, "Do you have any plans for this evening?"

"No," she answered as she consulted her map, "Why?"

He grinned.

"Do you trust me?"

Katara tilted her head and glanced up at him.

"Yes."

"Then you now have plans for this evening. Meet me by the side entrance an hour after dinner's done."

./../././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

"Zuko," Katara finally gasped out, "This is-is- it's amazing!"

She had met him at the side entrance, a little apprehensive, despite having said she trusted him. Zuko was there, in the same clothes from dinner, making her glad she hadn't changed.

He had refused to tell her where they were going as they walked through the dark palace grounds, and eventually out the palace gate. The streets of the capitol had been abnormally quiet.

"Where is everyone?" She had asked her companion.

"Just wait" had been the reply.

So they walked together a little further, making a few turns. Katara had started to hear something, and they were drawing closer to the sounds, when-

"Zuko!" She exclaimed once more, turning around and taking in all the noise, color and lights. And the _people!_

They had just turned onto a street filled with people, and booths, and music and brightly colored paper lanterns, and tantalizing smells.

Children ran underfoot, carrying bundles of red flowers, and scattering them about.

Firelilies.

"Welcome to the Lily Festival," said Zuko as they entered into the throng, "This is the second night of it, but I think it should be just as good as the first." Looking down at her he asked, "What do you think?"

Katara took in the mass of people, and sights, and the lilies that decorated everything, looking about, then smiled widely up at him.

"What should we do first?" She demanded, grabbing Zuko's warm hand and pulling him to the closest booth.

It was the most fun she'd had in ages.

She dragged Zuko from booth to booth, letting him show her which foods to taste, and explaining the games they'd find.

There was no money involved in the Lily Festival; the only way to pay the vendors and merchants was to give them fire lilies. And so, as they wandered through the streets, Zuko would stoop down to pick up fallen flowers, always handing them to Katara with a flourish. She would then determine where they'd stop next, trading her lilies for a chance to "Spin the Avatar" or "Hit the white petal and win big!"

The sun had set hours ago, but the paper lanterns illuminated the streets, throwing soft shadows onto everyone. In the half light, Katara and Zuko walked together; Zuko was only called out as the firelord twice, though she was sure he was recognized.

The first time, it was a small girl, who after staring at Zuko for a while, brought over a garland of fire lilies and, bashfully curtseying, gave them to him. Katara was pretty sure Zuko blushed more than the girl, but he thanked her softly, and bowed in return.

Once she had left, Zuko turned to Katara and placed the garland around her neck.

She might have blushed too.

The second time, they had stopped at a tea vendors booth. The owner stared at Zuko, then said, "I'm afraid this won't compare to your uncle's concoctions, your highness."

Zuko looked pleasantly surprised at the mention of his uncle, "Have you had his tea, then?"

"Yes, but it was a long time ago. He once visited my tea shop, and demonstrated the correct way to brew the leaves of the redberry plant. It was the best tea I ever had."

Zuko smiled, and sipped at his tea. His brows raised.

"You must come to the palace sometime, and serve your tea for me and my guests."

The vendor looked shocked, but Zuko continued "This is delicious, the best tea I've had since returning to the Fire Nation-excepting my uncle's" he added, with an apologetic smile.

The man behind the booth bowed, and said, "It would be my pleasure, Firelord."

"What is your name, and where do you work?"

"My name is Ji Wong, your highness, and I am the owner of the Sweetened Kettle."

"Very good," Zuko said, turning to go, "Expect an invitation soon."

Katara gave the vendor a smile as she followed Zuko away from the booth. The poor man looked dazed.

"That was nice," she commented as they walked down the street. It was slowly emptying of people, given the late hour. Katara was unsure as to how long she and Zuko had been out here.

"I can remember what it's like to have to have to work hard everyday, trying to make a living," Zuko offered, "And I know that when someone recognized my work, it was a good feeling."

They continued walking, following strains of soft music. They discovered it source after turning onto a square, it by lanterns, with a gurgling fountain in the middle.

A small group of musicians play to the side, and couples danced to the bright notes they coaxed from their instruments.

Excitement rose within her. _Dancing! _ She hadn't danced in a long time.

"Come on," She said, pulling at Zuko's wrist, "Let's dance!"

Zuko resisted her pulling, and Katara looked back at him. He had a funny expression on his face.

"Right now?" He finally asked, eyeing the shifting bodies that twirled about the square.  
"Yes," she stated, pulling more insistently on his arm, "I like this song, and I like this dance. Zuko," she added, seeing the misgiving on his features, "I haven't danced in a really long time."

He looked down at her, and she knew she had won. Tugging once more, she pulled him into the mass of dancing couples, and, placing her arms in his, started to dance.

The music was fast and bright, sweeping them along its high melody. Zuko looked uncomfortable for the first few measures, then his shoulders relaxed, and his face softened.

Katara laughed. Some people just didn't know what they wanted, even if it was staring right at them.

They maneuvered around the other dancers, feet tripping along in time, and bodies swaying.

The music crescendoed, then came to a sudden halt.

They stopped, and Katara tried to catch her breath, while grinning. Looking up at Zuko she saw him breathing a little harder as well, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Some of the dancers left the square, but most remained, as the musicians shuffled their music, then raised their instruments up again.

"Another?" She asked her companion.

"Another." He agreed, grabbing her hands as an old country dance filled the air.

Katara didn't know this dance as well, but she laughed her way through it, allowing Zuko to lead. By the time the song had come to an end, she had stepped on his toes more times than she could count, and Zuko was doing his best to remain mock angry.

"I demand another dance in payment for that last monstrosity," he stated in a ridiculously formal voice, as the musicians picked their next song, "I can't remember the last time my royal feet were trod upon in such a manner."

She hid her chuckle by bowing low, "Please, your Firelordiness, let me make it up to you. I couldn't live with myself, knowing I harmed your royal feet."

The musicians played the first notes to the next song, bittersweet melodies signaling a slower dance.

Zuko took her hand in his, and pulled her close to him, his other hand resting in the space between her lower back and waist.

Katara could feel its imprint burning through her dress, into her skin.

They were swept into the dance, circling lightly along with the other dancers, but Katara found that she couldn't focus on them, or anything else around her. Her gaze was caught on a pair of light amber eyes, looking down into her face. Her stomach tightened pleasantly, and she found that her hands trembled slightly, one caught in Zuko's warm clasp, the other resting on his crooked elbow.

He was, as always, very warm as he danced close to her. She could feel heat pouring out from his body, and she shivered despite the warmth.

If someone had later asked her how long they danced, she would have said for years. She felt caught up in the moment, in the music, like a flower swept out to sea by a current. It was a heady feeling, being twirled around the softly lit square.

But she had learned in the past years that all good things end, and this moment was no exception.

The last notes of the song hung in the air, lingering long enough for her to wish they'd remain just a little longer. Zuko leaned down towards her, his eyes still holding hers. His face was so close to hers-

Then he tilted his head and whispered in her ear, "I'll accept that as payment for my toes."

Reality broke in.

The other dancers started chatting, the musicians looked for another song, and Katara blinked, dropping her head to glance around her.

Zuko lifted his hands away from her, and walked to the fountain in the center of the square.

Katara took a deep breath, and followed him, settling herself next to where he sat on the fountain's edge.

They watched the couples dancing in silence for awhile, then Zuko spoke up.

"I haven't been to one of these festivals in years."

"Really?" She asked, glad to converse about-well, anything. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah. The last one I went to was with Mai, four years ago. Ever since then, I've been too busy, or I've just forgotten."

Curiosity welled within her at the mention of the girl she faintly remembered.

"Mai? Wasn't she your...girlfriend?"

Zuko shrugged, and Katara watched him intently, aware that this sudden interest in Zuko's relationships was probably not good.

"She was, for awhile. It ended a long time ago, though. She," here he made a face, and with the scarred side of his face to her, and the shadows from the lanterns, Katara thought he looked as if he wore a mask, "She had this way of not truly caring about many things, and I discovered that, as Firelord, I have to care about lots of things, a lot. We just, kinda, drifted apart."

Katara struggled to recall what Mai had looked like. All she could remember was a faint, tall shape, a bored, pale face, and wicked skills with blades.

"Where is she now?"

"She got married a few months ago, to some noble from the earth kingdom. I think they are living on his estates, outside of Ba-Sing-Se."

Oh.

"But hey, you know all about short relationships too," Zuko quipped, making Katara wince, "I mean, you and Aang..."

He trailed off as he caught sight of Katara's face. She imagined it didn't look very pleased.

"Yes. Aang and I were together for a very short time. It ended almost as soon as it began." With that said, she shrugged, dismissing the weeks of too much emotion, failed expectations and awkward breakup with a move of her shoulders.

Zuko cleared his throat, "Um, sorry, for bringing that up. At least, you know, you've found someone else."

Katara didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. She reached up to rub her betrothal necklace absentmindedly.

The musicians were finished, and the square emptied of its occupants as they packed up their instruments.

They were the last two in the square, and Katara enjoyed the quiet, interrupted only by the water running in the fountain.

"It's late." Zuko stated, and Katara took that as the "it's time to head back".

She stood up, and dusted off her dress. Zuko copied her movements, straightening his shirt.

The walk back to the palace was much shorter than she remembered, but that could have been due to the now empty streets, which were littered with trampled lilies and the now dark lanterns.

It made her a little sad to see the lovely flowers lying about, with wilted petals and broken stems.

In a short time, they had come back to the side entrance of the palace, the walk back having passed in a blur of shadows. The palace grounds were dimly lit by small lanterns lining the paths.

"I'll leave you here, then," Zuko said as they came to the doors. He opened one for her. "I'm going to walk around the grounds a while more."

She looked up at the sky, "It's late."

She meant it as "you really should get some sleep, Zuko, you look a little tired".

Zuko grinned in the darkness, which Katara could only see as the glinting of teeth, and the shifting of shadows on his lean face.

"I'm just going to walk for a few minutes. I'll go to bed soon, Katara. If you're not careful, you'll start looking like my uncle too, not just sounding like him."

"I don't know how I'd look with a beard," she murmured, closing the door behind her as she entered the palace.


	8. Chapter 8

**aelisabethchilds: I think I'm being a little mean, posting this wee chapter. But hey! This is what I've got for the evening. **

**Enjoy:)**

"**May the moon send her smiles your way"!**

The next week flew by.

It had passed in a series of moments-at least, that's how it seemed to Katara.

There was the odd goodnight to Zuko, after the Lily Festival, which ended after she lifted her lily necklace off and crawled into bed.

Then there was the awkward scene when she came across Toph and Aang in the front gardens of the palace the next morning. They were kissing. They didn't notice her, so maybe it was only awkward for her...

One morning at breakfast, Suki had delighted everyone by juggling seven mangos. Zuko had tried to, as well, but ended up tossing one of the fruit in Toph's yogurt.

Katara and Suki sparred one day, Katara promising not to bend. It was the first time Katara managed to knock the Kyoshi warrior down- "That'll never happen again" huffed a slightly disgruntled Suki after they finished.

She and Aang took Appa for a fly, but the time together, which Katara would have enjoyed, was spoiled by the younger man asking her about wedding details. She'd been trying to avoid thinking about that.

_It _happened at odd intervals throughout the week as well. Once while she was taking a bath. She managed to drag herself out of her element, which offered no help against the tightening at her throat, and the darkening of her vision. Then, while she was walking back from dinner, following Sokka and Suki, the horribly familiar sensation began, and she quickly dove around a corner, sinking to her knees as she waited to regain control of her breath. She heard Sokka call out her name, then say, "Oh well. She's probably gone off to the library." She even lost consciousness one night, sitting out on her balcony, enjoying the warm breeze from the sea. She woke up with a foul curse on her tongue, and ringing in her ears. It was terrifyingly strange to not have control over her own body, and Katara discovered a hate welling up inside her. It was almost as frightening as the choking.

But she also discovered moments that swept her quiet seconds of terror to the side.

Zuko brought them all into the capitol the night after they had gone in together, for the Lily Festival lasted all week, and showed his guests the delights she had seen the night before.

She danced with him again.

Toph invited-or dragged- Katara off to a spa she'd heard of in the capitol, and they had spent the day catching up. Katara even managed to get Toph to talk about her relationship with Aang. "He's kinda annoying," the earthbender complained as they sat in the sauna, "He likes to play with my hair, and hold my hand." Toph blushed as she complained, and Katara got the impression that she didn't really mind that much.

Mina brought her tea every morning, and only called her "Lady" two times.

Zuko found her one afternoon, wandering around the main gardens, and told her he wanted to show her something. She'd followed him through the palace, noting where they were on her map, which she kept with her at all times. he opened a pair of large, unadorned wood doors, and led her into a room filled with scrolls, and books. "It's the palace library," he explained as she went over to examine an ancient looking text, "I thought you might like it." She hugged him.

And every night, she would lie in her bed. Sleep would refuse to come to her. She'd wait, and wait, praying for sleep, but then, finally, she'd give up and make her way to the small garden she'd found. She'd taken to calling the Secret Garden-not because it was unknown to anyone else-but because very night, she'd sit in the grass, alone, and whisper a secret to the willow tree that offered silent comfort. She didn't see another person in the garden the whole week, and she refused to admit to herself that she was quietly wishing Zuko would join her again.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMM

That week was the longest he had ever known. It was a neverending torture of days spent in his study, wishing he could be out there -with Ka- his friends- but knowing he had to prepare for the conference, which was less than two weeks away.

Zuko found some time to be with his guests, but it always felt insufficient. He practiced his bending every morning, as soon as the sun rose, and Aang joined him twice. He also sparred with Sokka, an exhilarating test of his skills with the dao swords, and of the other man's skills as well, which had greatly improved.

He had tea with Toph one afternoon, catching up on news from Ba-Sing-Se, and listening to stories about his uncle's tea shop customers.

And, on a whim, he caught up to Katara in the gardens one day, and took her to the library. She'd looked thrilled at the sight of the dusty old texts, and scrolls. He'd never been one to sit down with a book for the afternoon-books were for history and battle strategies and lineage- but after Katara grinned and hugged him,thanking him for showing it to her, he discovered that he wouldn't have minded spending the afternoon with her in the library. Unfortunately, Mashi choose that moment to remind him that he needed to review the new design for his proposed universal currency.

And every night, after he left his study, and walked down the halls toward his room, he would pause in the shadows of the window that overlooked his mother's garden. A slim figure would sit by the willow, and Zuko would watch her. He raged a silent battle each evening, as he saw her. He knew he wanted to go out to her, and he was beginning to understand why as well. And it terrified him.

So he left Katara to her thoughts in the garden.


	9. Chapter 9

**AELISABETHCHILDS:**

**Oh man, did I have fun writing this chapter… hehehe. Tell me what you think- Do you love it? Do you hate it? What do you think about the situation with Lakkin?! (I mean, you'll see…)**

Exactly 8 days after they had arrived in the Fire Nation, Katara found herself in the empty bending courtyard. She'd practiced with Aang a few times during her stay, but today, she wanted to be by herself. The weather had taken a turn for the hotter, and the humidity wasn't helping her already darkening mood.

She started off with simple forms- water whips, waves, ice shields and daggers- trying to ignore her growing frustration.

How could anyone bear this heat? She was sweating already, and it was only two hours after sunrise!

She grew bored with her basic bending, and began to work on her more elaborate moves. She practiced making an ice slide, and using bending to propel herself along it, pushing at her feet with the ice to move herself along. Then, she formed giant columns of ice and sliced thin layers off it, shooting them at the walls. There were some new cracks on them once she had finished.

She pulled a mass of water together, and with a few deft flicks of her wrist, she brought Buddy into being. She spent a little extra time on him, refining his features, then she bent him behind her back, and started going through non-bending offensive forms, trying to keep Buddy alert and protecting her back. It was more difficult to keep the iceman mobile while she was working on her non-bending moves, which required a different concentration than her usual bending did.

She performed a quick, high kick to her right, and felt Buddy slip out of her control. She turned around as the form of ice and water slumped to the ground and began to melt.

"Dammit" she half-shouted, running her hands over her messy bun, and then continued to berate herself, "How do expect this to be of any help if you can't even defend yourself while going through simple moves, Katara? You can do better than this."

She bent the water back up, only to find part of it had evaporated on the hot courtyard floor.

"Perfect" She muttered turning to the water trough at the other side of the yard. She bent out large wave, feeling a little better as it leapt to do her bidding. She shifted her weight, and spun, allowing the water to form a liquid globe around her. With the water surrounding her, the temperature dropped perceptively. An idea formed, and she drew in a deep breath, then expelled it, freezing the water into a small ice dome, with her at the center.

With a sigh, Katara sat herself down in the ice dome, and crossed her legs. She took a few more deep breaths and closed her eyes. Finally. An escape from the heat.

She sat that way for a long time, almost meditating. A small drop of water interrupted her though, and she looked up to see the ice thinning, and water running down its sides in tiny rivulets.

She stood up in the encased area, and with a subtle shift of her weight, and a downward movement of her arms, she collapsed her chilly globe.

The sun blinded her momentarily and she blinked rapidly. Once she could see, she discovered she wasn't alone in the courtyard anymore.

"I was wondering when you were going to come out of there," Zuko said, stepping away from the wall he had been leaning on, "But I figured that you wouldn't let yourself freeze to death. You're too familiar with the cold to be that silly."

"I was hot," she stated with a shrug, "And I'd been practicing a while."

"Oh," he answered, walking towards her, "Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to spar."

She felt her eyebrows fly up. She hadn't sparred with Zuko since-well, since he had been the angry banished prince from the Fire Nation, who tracked down the avatar and hurt the people she loved. And the last time they had fought on equal terms- in the Northern Water Tribe-he had crushed her.

"But if you're tired, it can wait 'til later. If you do, you know, want to spar..."

"I do," she said quickly, making up her mind, "And right now's fine."

"Alright, then."

Zuko shrugged his loose shirt off, while Katara tied her hair back more securely, trying not to notice the way his shoulders moved smoothly as he drew the shirt over his head, or stare at his rather beautiful chest as he faced her again-_had she just thought his chest was "beautiful"?! What was wrong with her? But... it was well sculpted, and impressive, despite the large, star shaped scar in its center._

Zuko was speaking.

"So, no crippling blows, no lightning, no bloodbending-" Katara winced slightly at that- "and who ever gets the other to yield first wins. Sound good?"

She nodded, and her opponent settled into a low position, his knees bent, and spread wide, his arms held at ready.

Katara bent up a mass of water, both from the puddle left over from her ice dome, and from the water trough behind her.

Zuko's face was a study of determination, but he made no move to attack.

Katara waited, water poised around her in a loose, thick loop.

She heard Zuko inhale slowly, then his fists jabbed forward and two bullets of flame came flying at her. She drew her water up to form a liquid shield, then let it fall back down once she'd heard the *hiss* of the fire on her element.

Zuko had run forward while her view of him was obstructed and as he darted towards her, Katara sent out a large wave, trying to upset his balance. He parted it with a fist of white hot flame, then swung his right leg around, sending out a low hedge of flames.

_Great Waves! He's fast!_

She leapt to her left, pulling as much water with her as she could. Sweeping her arms up, she flung her water into the air, then sent it hurtling towards Zuko as thin spears of ice- she kept complete control of it though, for she didn't truly want to impale Zuko with a hundred shards of ice. Her control was for nothing. Zuko raised his hands and spun a arc of flame above his head, melting the ice, and creating a sudden cloud of steam.

With a curse and a grunt, he was knocked back as Katara flung a water whip at him, catching him on his lower stomach. She took a second to gloat to herself about blow, then bit back a curse of her own, and he flipped backward, sending a jet of fire from his feet.

She ducked below it, feeling the intense heat just over her head. Sniffing, she thought she caught the faint whiff of burnt-_if that man had burnt her hair..._

She looked up to see Zuko grinning broadly.

That did it.

She attacked, with whip after whip, wave after wave, ice shards following ice shards.

Zuko's grin slid off his face as he bent offensively, concentrating on remaining on his feet on the now icy ground.

They were both breathing heavily now. Katara unwisely gave herself a moment to bend the sweat off her body and clothes, and Zuko took it as his opportunity to start a defensive strategy.

He jumped forward, his flames melting the ice on the courtyard ground, and he started pummeling the air, sending fireballs her way.

Katara ducked to the side, but ended up with her back against the courtyard wall- _when had she gotten so close to it?_

Zuko strode towards her, both his fists filled with fire, he was getting closer-

Katara gathered as much water as she could, and bent it into a smaller version of her earlier ice dome, but this one was half-formed against the wall, with Katara huddling on the inside.

_Stupid, _she berated herself, _How are you going to get out of this?_

A jet of fire started working in the thick walls of her shell, and Katara could feel her element start to evaporate under the heat. She needed to get out, somehow...

Making up her mind, she steeled herself and, after drawing in a deep breath, she shoved herself off the wall, bending her water away as she jumped towards the source of the flames.

Zuko yelled hoarsely as she tumbled into him, his still flaming hands flying to the side as she landed on top of him.

"Do you yield?" She demanded, bending long, sharp ice dagger above his head. She was sitting on his stomach, her knees on either side of him.

Zuko glared up at her. Then, his mouth twisted into a tiny smirk.

She shrieked as one of his knees jerked into her lower back, pushing her forward on his chest. Her ice dagger flopped down to the side, uselessly. Zuko then used his upper arms to send her flying off his chest, while he slid out under her.

She landed face down on the ground, stone scratching her cheeks and nose. She could only groan in pain a moment, because a second later, she was flipped over, and her arms were pinned to her sides by a grip she couldn't break.

Zuko sat down on her stomach, and her breath *whoosh*ed out in a sudden burst.

He grinned down at her, his eyes crinkling.

"Do you yield?"

Blues eyes stared into gold, and Katara held still a moment, before trying to buck him off suddenly. It didn't work. He was too heavy for her to throw off using only her hips.

"I could stay here all day," Zuko said glancing up at the sky, "Though you might get a little warm..."

Katara was suddenly _very _aware that Zuko was sitting on her stomach, with his bare chest glistening slightly in the sun, and his face hovering less than a foot away from hers.

She felt her face flush, and hoped Zuko would think it was the heat and the bending that put the extra rose into her cheeks.

"Do you yield?" He asked again, leaning closer to her face. She could see the amusement shining in his eyes. But then, it faded, replaced by something that made her stomach flutter. His face was getting closer-

And then it was another face, leaning down towards her, with a thin nose, sharp, dark blue eyes and a wide, smiling mouth. She scrunched her eyes shut tightly.

_Lakkin._

She uttered a small scream, and started to thrash under his weight.

_She didn't want this. He had to let her get up!_

"Katara!"

It wasn't Lakkin's smooth, melodious voice that said her name. It was Zuko's rougher, low, familiar voice.

She blinked rapidly, then felt the weight leave her chest. She pushed herself back, then up to standing.

Zuko was staring at her, concern shifting across his face. He started to reach towards her, and she jumped back.

"I-I- I yield, Zuko. You won." She said, trying to ignore the trembling of her voice, "Good job."

"Katara-" he began, but she interrupted him.

"I should probably go now. I need to clean up, and I told Suki I would take her to the library this morning."

She started walking to the door that was closest to the hall that would take her back to her rooms.

A warm, large hand closed over her upper arm, and stopped her. Katara stayed as she was, facing the door.

"Katara," Zuko said, his voice rougher than normal, "What was that? Why did you-"

She hunched her shoulders a little, and steeled herself.

"It was nothing, Zuko. I'm tired, and I'm going back to my rooms to clean up. Thank you for the spar, and congratulations on your impressive bending."

She tugged her arm free from his loose grip, and exited through the door, leaving Zuko in the courtyard. She could feel his stare until she turned a corner, and left his field of vision.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

She settled herself into her bath tub, letting the warm water caress her itching skin, and sore muscles. That spar had been far more intense than she had thought it would be; She had a bruise collection forming, and small, stinging scratched across her face, from when Zuko sent her face-first into the ground.

She slipped beneath the hot water, and called up her healing. Its soothing power washed over her, like a warm ocean's waves. She lent her power to the entire tubful of water, and her sores eased, her scratches knit themselves together.

She lay at the bottom of the tub for some time, immersed in the warm water, letting it support her. Water, she decided, was the best element. It wasn't rough, like earth, or pushy like air. And it wasn't as uncontrollable, or like to hurt, as fire.

She surfaced finally, taking a deep breath in, then sinking down again. Her hair whispered around her, in the strange silence of the water.

She allowed herself to think back on the fiasco she had just escaped. She didn't know why she'd seen Lakkin's face, in place of Zuko's-well, if she was honest with herself, Katara did know why. It had reminded her of their first kiss. Lakkin, hovering over her, bending lower, amusement lighting his face...

She shuddered.

It was funny how people changed once you got to know them.

She dragged herself out of the tub, and wrapped a robe around her trembling frame. She hated this. She hated this feeling of powerlessness. And it was all _his_ fault.

...

She'd liked Lakkin immediately. He'd introduced himself to her family-her father was the Chief, after all-and despite her initial anger over the lack of support the Western Tribe had offered to the rest of the world during the war Katara was drawn to the handsome, tall young man. Lakkin was tall-maybe as tall as Zuko- with thick, brown hair, held back in a traditional wolftail. His skin was a shade darker than her own- a product of the "persistent sun of the Fire Nation", he had explained once- and he was impressively built, long, and strong. His size always managed to make her feel delicate. He had a lean face, with pronounced cheekbones, and a quick smile. He seemed to know he was handsome, but he never acted vainly.

He'd been charming, funny and attentive to her. He even offered to teach her non-bending combat skills, something Katara knew she was rotten at. Lakkin was a waterbender, like herself, and he was at the same skill level as Katara.

He'd told her once how captive waterbenders had escaped from Fire Nation prisons and-due to the war around them, and the uncertainty of any home waiting for them-had chosen to take refuge in an outcropping of islands to the west of the Fire Nation. It was through their knowledge of bending, passed down through generations, that he had acquired his knowledge of bending.

They'd formed a fast and easy friendship; Lakkin was open and quick to laugh, which Katara appreciated, so soon after her short-lived relationship with Aang. He never pushed her for any kind of declaration of affection, never throughout their friendship of over two years. It had just happened that day, out on the frozen tundra...

...

Katara settled herself into the meditation niche in her room. It was less warm in here than in her sunny bedroom.

The "after" of their first kiss flooded her.

...

After they'd kissed, and confessed their attraction, everything seemed to compound. Lakkin spent more and more time with her, and she'd been delighted. His attentions, mannerisms, and affectionate-not to mention passionate- flirtations solidified the idea of her love for the man. A month after their first kiss, he'd asked her father for her hand in marriage.

She'd been thrilled. And Hakoda had been pleased at both the prospect of ensured positive ties to the Western Tribe, and with Katara's obvious joy.

And Lakkin had produced her betrothal necklace soon after.

She could remember the afternoon she put her mother's necklace away, packing it in her trousseau trunk, wrapping it gently in soft. She'd imagined giving it to her own daughter, and had smiled.

She recalled the feel of Lakkin's rough hands as he tied his necklace around her neck, and placed a quick kiss on the clasp. She'd grinned, and kissed him. Hard.

...

Her hand reached up to brush the necklace.

...

It was different from the usual betrothal necklaces she'd seen her whole life. Not made with blues, but with a white ribbon- had felt rather chilly when she first put it on- and a gray pendant, with an intricate design upon it.

She knew something was strange about it when she tried to take it off for the first time. She'd been about to practice her bending, in the small courtyard of her home, and she hadn't wanted to damage the lovely necklace; it was so new...

And so she tried to untie it-only to find that there was no clasp, no knot in the ribbon. She fingered the entire length of the necklace, and couldn't determine how Lakkin had attached it on her.

She'd asked him about it that night, but he'd laughed and said with mock hurt, "Are you trying to get rid of it already?". Her following declaration of "No, Lakkin, I love y-" had been cut short by a swift, and rather forceful kiss. She'd thought nothing of it.

But then he'd begun to change. It was so subtle at first, that she thought nothing of it. A harsh word here, a sparring session that ended with a little too much pain; Lakkin was a man, and he was stronger than he realized- that's how she reasoned with herself.

And then one night, she woke up to a tightening around her neck, and she'd struggled to pull at the necklace, which despite remaining as loose as ever, seemed to be the cause of her pain.

She'd confronted Lakkin the next day.

"_What have you done to this?"_

"_Your necklace? Why, don't you like it, darling?"_

"_Don't touch me! You've done something to this, and it won't come off. Lakkin, I-I want to call off our engageme-"_

"_Now you listen to me, Katara. We _are_ getting engaged, and you _will_ continue to be thrilled about it. I've worked too long to let you back out now."_

"_I won't marry you! You're not the person I fell in love with, you're-"_

"_Different? Come on, Katara, you made it too easy for me. All you needed was a little attention, a little humor, some affection, and you were water in my hands. Really, I'm surprised you haven't married before now, since you seem to fall in love with anyone who smiles at you."_

"_Lakkin! That's it. I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm going to my father-"_

"_You're father, darling, is thrilled about this new connection we're forming between tribes. You see, he knows that the Western Tribe has lived for a very long time in the shadow of the Fire Nation. Do you think we survived by just hiding? No. We learned very quickly that the best way to keep our home a secret was to silence anyone who couldn't be trusted. And how did we do that? We've developed our bending in ways your people haven't dared dream of. We've built up our army, and we're constantly ready to defend our way of life. Do you think Hama was the only waterbender to discover bloodbending? She only brushed the surface of its possibilities. And we've other gifts, as you've discovered with your necklace, that you and your tribes have no power against."_

"_Are you-are you threatening my tribe?"_

"_It's only if you don't behave, darling. As long as you continue to act like a idiot girl in love, and marry me next year, I promise, nothing will happen to your tribe, or your family."_

"_My family!-"_

"_Of course, darling. Haven't you noticed the new fabric that's been circulating throughout the tribe? It's a lovely, white cloth, silky smooth, but extremely strong..."_

And he'd smiled as her airway tightened, and she fell to her knees, head spinning for want of air.

He'd known her weaknesses, and he'd pressed his advantages.

And so, when he'd departed to return to his home, it had been with the promise that he would be preparing a home for his fiancé, for the time when she would return with him.

And Katara never breathed a word of it to anyone. She discovered that the fabric that made the ribbon of her necklace had integrated itself into the homes of everyone around her. She saw one of her friends use it for her wedding dress, even little Shila had a shift made of the smooth material.

And she saw how the men who had fought in the war settled themselves into their homes, putting aside their weapons, and taking up their old occupations. Her tribe would not suffer because she wasn't strong enough to handle a man who she'd discovered she did not love. Her people would not face a war because she couldn't find a way to ease this situation.

...

And she had tried. She'd attempted to destroy her betrothal necklace, a difficult task with it resting against her throat, but no blade she tried could cut through the thin ribbon.

And she'd written to Lakkin, after his departure, begging him to release her from their betrothal, to leave her people be. They couldn't possibly be a threat to his tribe!

And every time she sent a letter to him, pleading, she'd wake up in the middle of the night, or be stopped as she was working around with the horrible sensation of choking gripping her throat. He seemed to respond in that way to her letters, so she eventually stopped sending them, despite his consistent, cheerful messages, which always began with "_Dear darling_".

She knew she'd lost weight in the last year- living with a constant burden of fear and terrified anticipation would do that to a person. And she found sleep troubling, filled with dark dreams, and often interrupted by _that_.

And then she'd been given the task of not only preparing for her wedding, but also supervising parts of the Joining Celebration and Ceremony-

"Katara?"

She jumped, half rising from the cushion she had been resting on for some time now.

It was Mina.

"Hello, Mina," Katara said, smoothing down her curling hair-she hadn't done anything to it after her bath- and finding pleasure in the fact that her voice betrayed none of what she had been thinking of, "What is it?"

The woman entered partway into the meditation niche, and answered, "Lady Suki was looking for you. SHe mentioned that you were going to show her something..."

"Yes!" Katara exclaimed, jumping up from her cushion, and brushing past Mina, into her bedroom. She slipped behind a screen, and began to dress.

"I'm going to show Suki the library," she explained, as Mina whisked away the robe Katara had thrown over the top of the screen, "I think there are some texts she'll be very interested in, about Avatar Kyoshi."

Mina murmured something in agreement, then examined Katara as she stepped out form behind the screen.

"You look lovely."

Katara smiled. She was happy with this dress. It was a rich, deep red, and fell to her feet in soft, weightless folds. It was extremely cool, but didn't compromise beauty, or modesty to achieve it.

She was pulling her hair into a simple bun, and walking towards the door when Mina "ahem"ed.

Katara turned around to see the girl offer her a scroll.

"This just came for you," the girl said, and then she left the room.

Her name was written on a tag, attached to the thin roll of parchment, in bold handwriting. Her chest constricted, and her throat tightened of its own accord. She knew that handwriting.

She unrolled the scroll with trembling hands.

It began,

"_Dear darling,"_

**aelisabethchilds: But really, what do you think? Don't leave me waiting in anticipation!**


	10. Chapter 10

**aelisabethchilds:**

**UPDATEUPDATEUPDATE:)**

**Hello there! Welcome to another chapter…**

**I hope you like it, and let me know what you think(?)**

**And tell me, have any of you ever had Good Earth Sweet and Spicy tea? **_**It's to die for! **_**I am absolutely addicted. For some reason – perhaps the aforementioned addiction- I was daydreaming about it today, and so it ended up in this chapter…only mentioned briefly and not in name, but hey! It's worth mentioning. So try some if you haven't, and if you have some handy, make a big mug of it and enjoy!**

Katara was late.

They were all sitting in the "family" dining room, and Katara had not come in with the others.

Sokka, Aang, and Toph had begun to eat already, helping themselves to the heaping bowls on the low table. Suki, though, who sat to his left, wasn't eating yet, and neither was he.

Zuko wanted to talk to Katara about their bending duel, but he couldn't do that if she wasn't around.

Suki cleared her throat, "Maybe she's not feeling well."

Zuko glanced over the brown haired woman, a question in his gaze.

"She was going to take me to the library this morning," Suki explained, "But she never came to find me, and when I knocked on her bedroom door, no one answered."

He nodded, then shifted in his seat, and beckoned on of the attendants. Once the young man had stooped beside the seated Firelord, Zuko gave him quiet orders, then turned back to his meal, and his guests.

With a mental sigh, he helped himself to some of the food that was arrayed before him.

To Suki he said, "I sent someone to inquire with her personal servant. I'm sure it's nothing. I saw her this morning, and she seemed to be unhappy with this heat. Perhaps she decided to avoid it."

Suki nodded, and served herself, letting her attention turn to the loud conversation between Sokka and Toph. Listening in, Zuko discovered that they were discussing the best way to forge a sword; Toph was convinced she could bend a better weapon than Sokka, while the water tribesman was adamant in his belief that the traditional way of forging swords was the best.

He ate his food slowly, neglecting to appreciate the delicious, yet rather simple foods he prefered. The young attendant did not return.

Zuko participated in the supper's conversation absentmindedly, most of his attention focused on his memory of that morning.

_Why had Katara screamed like that? She'd seemed frightened, almost hysterical for a moment..._

He was brought to the present by the commotion of Suki, Sokka, Aang and Toph rising from their seats. He stood too, a little belatedly.

He was the last person left in the room, with a chorus of "good night"s echoing in his ears, and a lingering look from Suki, which conveyed the concern he was feeling for Katara.

He nodded at the Kyoshi warrior as she exited the room, silently acknowledging her concern, and determining that he was going to find his absent guest.

He walked out of the room, and found the young man he had sent to speak with Mina waiting for him. The boy was staring at the ground.

Zuko cleared his throat, and the boy jumped, then bowed quickly.

"My lord," the boy said, his voice just above a whisper, "I found Mina, as you requested, but she said-she said that she didn't know where Lady Katara is at."

The boy cringed back as he said the words, as if expecting Zuko to rage at him.

And he did feel an upwelling of frustration, but not at the young attendant. Instead, he laid a hand on the boys hunched shoulders, and said "thank you", softly.

The boy glanced up at him as Zuko walked past, a grin tugging at his lips.

Zuko, however, didn't pay much attention to his eased conscience as he strode down the palace halls.

He found Mina standing outside Katara's bedroom doors, wringing her hands. When she saw him, she bowed low, then straightened slightly, her eyes still on the floor.

"I'm sorry, my lord," she began, her voice trembling a little- Zuko bit back a sigh, _did all of his servants hold the belief that he would explode at them at any given moment?_\- the woman continued, "I have no idea where Lady Katara is. I left her in her rooms this morning, but when I came back a little while later, she was gone."

The woman glanced up at him, her face pale, "I've been searching the palace the entire day."

He raised his brows, but wasn't surprised; the palace was a maze of rooms and hallways and courtyards that, if stretched out, would be miles and miles long.

"That's fine, Mina," Zuko said, cracking open Katara's door, "I'm sure she's fine. There's plenty of places she could have gotten to."

Her room was empty, the last rays of the dying sun were streaming in through the large windows. Zuko was ignoring the surge of anxiety that was welling up inside him; Katara could take care of herself. She was a master waterbender, for Agni's sake!

He shut her door.

"If she isn't back soon, inform me, and I'll decide what to do. She may have just found a corner to read in, or taken a walk in the gardens."

Mina nodded, but nervousness was etched across her face, "Yes, Firelord."

Zuko left the woman standing outside Katara's door, and walked to the side entrance. There was a good chance that Katara was in the gardens; he knew she liked to walk around the shaded paths.

He exited the palace, and sniffed the breeze that came his way.

It was going to rain.

Zuko could always tell if it was going to rain. There was a difference in the weight of the air, or the smell of the earth, and the heat of the sky. He just knew.

So he walked through his gardens with purpose, searching for Katara. He knew he shouldn't be worried, but knowing and feeling were two very different things.

He came across one elderly woman, two young boys and an embracing couple in the darkening gardens, but no waterbender.

He huffed, and went back to the side entrance. Before entering, he noted that a bank of thick clouds was encroaching from the ocean, and low thunder rolled far away. He smiled grimly. He was never wrong about rain.

Zuko walked through the elaborate doors, into the palace and tried to dismiss the worry Katara was causing him. She was independent, he knew that, and she could be anywhere.

He decided to get to his rooms by way of the west wing.

Aang's bedroom door was cracked open, and Zuko heard the murmuring voices of the avatar and a certain earthbender coming from the interior.

Sokka poked his head out of his door as Zuko strode past.

"Hey," he called, stepping out a little further, revealing that he was in simple lounging clothes, "Have you seen Katara around? Her maid's been looking for her..."

"I haven't," Zuko answered, noting that Mina was still standing outside of Katara's doors, "But I'm sure she's around somewhere. I recently showed her the palace library, so perhaps she's found a nook to read in."

Sokka grinned, "I wouldn't be surprised. You know, for a girl who's had plenty of adventures, she sure likes to read about more. I don't get it."

Rubbing his hair, the other man went back into his rooms.

Zuko came to Mina, who murmured, "She hasn't returned yet, my lord."

Zuko frowned, pinching his nose between his fingers, but then an idea came to him.

_Why hadn't he thought of that before?_

"That's alright, Mina, I think I may know where she is."

He left, maneuvering his ways through the palace halls with purpose. He should have looked there first, he knew she liked to go there-

A steady thrumming sound filled the hall, and Zuko glanced up at a skylight to see rain running down in thick streams.

He came to the hallway he wanted, and was greeted by a flood of cool, damp air. Rain was falling off the roof, creating a curtain which obstructed his view of his mother's garden.

He winced a little as he stepped under that curtain, and into the rain, which fell down in steady waves upon the grass. It was chilly.

Sitting underneath the willow tree, was Katara.

Even from behind, he could see she was soaked. This puzzled him, for Katara could bend the water away from herself with minimal effort. She just sat still, a shadowy from, illuminated only by the lanterns in the open halls that surrounded the garden.

And she was soaked, her dark dress clinging to her shoulders, her hair dripping and straight, hanging down her back. The only thing that distinguished her from a disheveled garden statue was her shoulders, moving up and down slightly with her breaths.

His foot found a root as he made his way towards her, and Zuko stumbled, a curse flying from his lips.

Katara jumped. She whipped her head around, searching the garden.

Zuko stepped forward, ignoring his twinging foot.

"Zuko here."

She stared at him, strands of wet hair dangling in front of her dusky face, then she said quietly, "Good evening, Zuko."

He took her greeting as a signal that she didn't want him to leave immediately, and so he walked over to her, his boot clad feet squelching on the ground, and crossed his legs and sat down.

She'd turned her head back to stare at the pond, whose surface was pebbled by rain drops and ripples.

He watched her.

Katara's face was impassive, but drawn, and pale for the darker skinned woman. She was holding her shoulders up a little higher than usual, with her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She did not look well. No, she had the demeanor of someone who had just received rather disturbing news.

Zuko felt his frown form. She looked shell-shocked, and this shocked him in return.

Katara was the confident one; she was the person who held fast to her convictions, and braved any storm. To see her sitting out in the rain, looking for all the nation like a lost little child-

"We were wondering where you had gotten to," he said congenially, tightly reigning in his swelling rage-against whatever had caused this- "You didn't show up for dinner, and Suki said she missed you this morning as well."

Katara blinked.

"I forgot. I was going to show Suki the library," she finally answered, her hands tightening upon, what Zuko realized was, a piece of parchment that was limp with rain, "I'm sorry if I caused any trouble."

"You didn't," Zuko said, settling back against the willow, where he had a clear view of her face, and mentally dismissing the small flurry she had caused with her disappearance, "We just missed you at dinner."  
"Sorry." She said again.

"Don't be," he answered firmly, wanting to reach out and hug her thin shoulders.

They sat in the rain for some time, neither of them speaking or moving. The water fell down in a soft, steady sheet, muffling the faint light that reached out from the halls, and drowning out any noise that might have been heard in the night.

Katara moved first, shaking her head slightly, then looking back at him.

"Did you have a good day?" She asked, her face betraying no interest in what she was asking.

He cleared his throat, then said "Yes, it was not quite as exciting after our spar, but it was fine."

Her eyes lit up a little at his mention of their duel.

"What did you do today?" He inquired, noting that she cast her eyes back to the pond at his question.

She hesitated, then answered "Nothing much. I'd have to agree with you; our spar was the best part of my day."

Zuko pushed further, "Suki said you were going to show her the library this morning. Did something come up?"

Katara shrugged.

"I decided to visit these gardens, and I must have lost track of the time."

_For the entire day?_

"I see," he said, making a quick brush at his rain soaked face-water was dripping into his eyes- then he asked the question that showed he was his uncle's nephew.

"Did you eat anything today?"

Katara looked back up at him, a slightly surprised expression on her face.

"I, umn, forgot" she admitted.

Zuko made up his mind, and stood up abruptly. Water fell off him in small falls, escaping the mall pools it had made while he sat.

He extended his hand down to Katara, who stared at it, as if unsure of what to do.

"Come on," He said, leaning down and picking up one of her cold hands, "We'll get you something to eat."

Zuko pulled her up, though she offered no resistance-she seemed to drift into standing, like there wasn't much holding her down.

Once up, she blinked, looking around the dark garden.

"It's later than I thought," she said, mildly, then, "It's raining."

Zuko still held her hand as he led her through the wet garden, and into the hall.

They stood there, out of the rain, forming small puddles from their soaking clothes.

Katara took a deep breath, then said "Here, I can help with that."

Before he knew what had happened, the waterbender had withdrawn her hand from his and bent all the water out of his clothing. She did the same for herself, then sent the water twisting back into the garden.

"Thanks" Zuko said, then took her hand again-it was still cold-and walked down the hall, a silent Katara in his wake.

Lio was guarding his door again-did that man have constant "Firelord Duty"?-and Zuko gave him a few brief orders before opening his bedroom door and pulling Katara in with him. He left the door open.

His rooms were dark, but he fixed that with little effort. The high wall lamps were lit quickly, as were the tall candles scattered about his room.

He led Katara over to the low table that always had a teapot of water at the ready, and gently pushed her onto one of the large, soft pillows that surrounded it.

She watched him as he settled onto one himself, then began the familiar and comforting process of making tea. He was in the middle of heating the water when she stated "I should probably go back to my rooms. I don't want to be a nuisance."

"It's not a problem," he said quickly, not willing to let her leave yet, "And I just asked for some food to be brought here, so it would be a waste if you left now."

Katara nodded, then looked down to her hands, folded in her lap.

Zuko made the tea in the silence, concentrating on the quantity of leaves he put in, the heat of the water, and the time that passed. Once he was satisfied, he poured the steaming, dark liquid into the small tea cups on the table, and placed one in front of Katara.

"Thank you" she murmured, raising the cup to her lips and drinking.

He watched as her eyebrows shot up, and her eyes flickered to his face. Zuko winced. He must have messed up again. He knew that leaves and spices he had mixed were prone to brew quickly; Uncle had told him many times. He waited as she set the cup down and cleared her throat.

"That," she said quietly, "Is quite good."

His heart leapt in his chest.

"When did you learn to brew tea so well? Last I remember, the tea you made was barely drinkable."

Zuko relaxed, and leaned against the table. She was making conversation, and some color had come back into her cheeks.

"Uncle sent me very specific instructions when he returned to Ba-Sing-Se. He says that every man should be able to brew his own tea, no matter his station in life."

Her lips twitched.

"He should send some instructions to Aang, then. The Avatar should be as capable as making tea as the Firelord, don't you think? Or perhaps better, giving his standing in the world..."

Zuko grinned. Aang's tea was-

"I don't know if there's any hope for Aang. The last tea he made-"

"In your uncle's tea shop" she added.

"Yes, that tea he made at the Jasmine Dragon wasn't even fit to be called leaf juice. It _killed _a plant."

Katara chuckled, and took another sip of tea.

"It was too bad. I liked that plant. It was a Panda Lily, I think."

Zuko shook his head, "Poor plant."

They finished their tea in comfortable silence, Katara studying his room, and Zuko studying Katara.

Just as he finished the last sip in his cup, a young woman walked in, bearing a large tray covered with steaming bowls.

"I thought you might like something to eat" he explained after his companion asked "What is...?"

"Oh."

Then, "Thanks, Zuko."

He nodded, and thanked the servant as she set the tray on the table.

He saw her eyes widen with surprise as she took in the variety of food before her. Zuko was a little amused as well. He'd only asked for a small meal for his friend.

"What should I..." She trailed off, gesturing at the assembly of colorful foods before her.

Zuko took pity on her, and scooted around the corner of the table, seating himself next to her.

"This one," he said, pointing to a rice dish peppered with bits of meat, "Is one of my favourites, but it might be too spicy for you."

He piled some of the dish into a bowl, then dolloped some yogurt onto it from a separate container.

"Here," he offered the bowl to Katara, "The yogurt helps with the spice, makes it more bearable for people like watertribe peasants who can't handle anything more than salted seal jerky."

She flicked a piece of rice at his face.

"I'll have you know," she said as she sniffed at the bowl, "That I am now considered almost royalty in my tribe. Not only am I the daughter of the chief, but I am also the first female waterbending master my tribe has had for years, _and _the Avatar's waterbending master."

She took a bite of the food, and her eyes brightened.

"This is delicious," she offered, around bites, "maybe even better than seal jerky."

Zuko chuckled and helped himself to some sliced ash banana.

He was on his second fruit when Katara set her bowl down and asked, "Zuko?"

"Mhmm?"

"Why don't you have a bed like mine."

He choked a bit on his banana.

"Sorry?"

"Your bed," she repeated, gesturing towards the corner where he slept, "It's much smaller than mine in, and it's-it's on the ground."

He looked over to his bed.

It was true. It was much smaller than one might imagine, given the size of his rooms, and the overall grandeur of his palace.

"Well," he said, scratching his head, "I guess I never really liked the huge bed I had as a kid. I always felt dwarfed by it, like the covers might jump up and smother me at any time," he smiled grimly, "Actually, Azula might have tried that once. But, anyway, I discovered that once I returned home, I was much more comfortable in a smaller bed, on the floor than I was in a huge raised bed, as is usual in our bedrooms. I just had mine removed."

"I see," she said, tilting her head to look at him.

Zuko was suddenly very aware that she was sitting close to him, that her hair was slightly damp and smelled of rain, that she had rubbed her lips with the back of her hand and they looked a little swollen, that, with the way her neck was angled, he could probably bury his nose between her jaw and ear and lose himself in that smell of rain, that her shoulders were moving ever so gently up and down, and her hands were clasped together in her lap around a piece of paper-

"Zuko?"

He met her gaze, trying to cool the slow heat that had dropped into his lower stomach. Her face was not so far from his...

"I should probably get back to my rooms."

That got his attention.

"Yeah," he answered, standing up and brushing off his spotless pants, "I'll walk you back."

She stood up as well, then glanced back down at the table.

"Thank you," she said as she followed him out the open door, and past his guard, "I didn't know I was hungry until you had food brought in."

Zuko slowed his pace to match hers, and walked alongside the slim, red clad figure.

"It wasn't a problem," he answered as they rounded a corner, "Think of it as an apology for scaring you this morning."

Her head jerked, and Zuko felt her stare as they walked on.

"You didn't scare me," She said, her voice taking on a hard edge, "It was- it was just..."

"What?" He demanded, his own voice harsher than he would have liked.

She shrugged.

_Shrugged! _

He had just spent the last how many minutes trying to warm her out of her rainy daze, and she shrugged?

"Katara," he exclaimed, coming to a halt, then rushing forward to catch up to her when she didn't, "Tell me. What happened this morning? You were frightened by something And then you disappeared for the whole day?"

She kept on walking. Part of him realized that she was walking with purpose, that she must know the way to her rooms.

"Katara." he growled out, his curiosity, concern and frustration coming to the surface. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to a stop. She tugged twice, then stood still, facing away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked again, trying to keep his voice civil.

She turned to face him, defiance written across her face.  
"Nothing," she hissed, her brows lowering, "I'm tired, and I would like to return to my rooms now."

With that she yanked her wrist free, and walked briskly down the hall.

Zuko raised his hands to the sky, silently-desperately pleading for patience, then followed her.

He caught up to her outside her bedroom doors. His hands slammed against the engraved wood as she tried to tug them open. Out of the corner of his eyes, Zuko caught sight of Mina dashing around the hall corner, and out of sight.

"Zuko," Katara said tightly, still pulling at the door handles, "I'd like to get into my bedroom."

"No. Tell me what happened this morning."

"Nothing happened."

He glared down at the smaller woman, who glared back up at him.

Zuko took a deep breath, "Katara," he began again, softening his tone, "I'm just worried, that's all. You scared me this morning. I've never seen you act like that before."

Her shoulders drooped fractionally.

"Fine. It was just-It- I was just reminded of a particularly bad memory. It made me uncomfortable."

_Uncomfortable? _She had screamed when he had been hovering over her on the bending courtyard, and she had twisted like a cornered animal. That had been more than "uncomfortable". The wild look in her eye had made shivers crawl up and down his spine.

"Of what?" He pressed, taking his hand off her door.

"It reminded me of a duel I fought once."

She'd lowered her head, and was staring at the polished marble floor.

"And?"

"And nothing!" She whipped her head up, her blue eyes practically shooting sparks, "It was just a bad experience. That's all, Zuko. I'm going to bed now."

She pulled at her door again, and he reached out once more, not allowing her to open it.

"Zuko!"

He took a deep breath. She was angry at him now, and part of him knew that he deserved it. She obviously didn't want to talk about what happened this morning, and she hadn't been forthcoming about the day either. Another part of him protested this, shouting that he was only being concerned for her, that she hadn't seemed like Katara when he had first seen her in his mother's garden. And another part of him quietly pointed out that Katara looked beautiful when she was angry. Her hair was falling about her shoulders, her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed.

He shoved aside his inward thinking, and gently gripped her shoulders with his hands.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, as she glared up at him, "I didn't mean to push you. I was only worried."

Her gaze softened, and Katara sighed then nodded once,

"It's okay, Zuko," she answered, just as quietly, "I'm sorry I made you worry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble today, either. It's just-" she shrugged (_again!)_\- "I have been really busy lately, and now it's all catching up with me."

Zuko kept his brows from raising.__Busy? That was her excuse. He knew her better than to believe it was just fatigue that was bothering her. She hadn't been like this a few days before-not that he had seen her much since the Lily Festival-and the tight set of her lips was not something caused by business.

But she had expressed that she wanted him to leave it alone an sdo he would. At least until she told him what was really going on. Because, he would find out what was happening with Katara.

"Alright," he said, his hands still on her shoulders, "I'll let you get to bed then."

And on impulse, he quickly leaned forward and brushed his lips across her forehead.

She didn't stiffen, but he felt her still, then turn her head up to look at his.

"Goodnight, Zuko." She said, stepping out from under his hands.

Katara turned back to her door and opened it, while he watched. He was still standing there as it started to close, then paused.

A slender form darted out, and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his chest.

Zuko felt his heart stop, then start up again with a great shock.

And then she was gone, and the doors to her bedroom were closed.

Zuko stared at them for a while longer, then turned to walk back to his own rooms as the rain beat steadily on the palace roof.

**aelisabetchilds: **

**I feel like I'm always ending these scenes outside of Katara's bedroom…huh. I've no idea why(?) But, what the heck… It's my story. Hehehe. Ya'll are just along for the ride!**


	11. Chapter 11

**aelisabethchilds:**

**And… Hello there! I am alive. **

**Yup, finals, packing up, moving out, driving home and unpacking have not left me dead, just unable to write for a **_**very**_** long time. **

**I'm terribly sorry for the wait, but here is another installment:) It's a little short, and only one sided, but I hope you like it! Share it with your pals, review it for me and happy reading.**

**OH! And HAPPY SUMMER! **

**AHHHHHHHH! **

**I.**

**LOVE.**

**SUMMER.**

**Mmmkay. I'm done now.**

She woke up with the sun.

Katara hadn't undressed after entering her rooms last night, and she'd just laid down on her bed and gone to sleep. It was better than thinking about her day...

But the curtains had been wide open-something she hadn't noticed when she'd gone to bed-and so Katara woke up with early morning sunlight dancing on her cheeks.

The day before suddenly seemed very far away as she let the sun wash over her eyelids. She wouldn't think about that today. That was a problem for tomorrow.

She slipped off her bed, tugged at her rumpled dress and walked over to the tall windows. The night's rain was gone, but it had left the view from her rooms looking fresh and vibrant.

She'd fallen into the habit of sleeping in for as long as possible. At home, her father didn't seem to mind. However, his allowing her to lounge in bed resulted in some _very_ rushed mornings, and hurried maneuvering through the streets and rivers of their tribe. There was something almost decadent about laying in a warm bed, not quite awake, listening to the sounds of the world outside.

As Katara gazed out past the capitol, it's streets not yet crowded, and blinked at the rising sun, she decided that she'd been missing out. There _was_ something pleasant about waking up early; the ocean stretched out along the horizon, pearly and still. There wasn't a single boat in sight, and the sea seemed to be holding it's breath, waiting for something.

She sighed, and turned away from the stunning view. Today was her last day of freedom. The embassadors from the other nations would be arriving tomorrow night, and with them would come long meeting, political maneuverings and endless attempts to display one nation's superiority over the other.

Not in a threatening way, she amended, wincing at the thought of the long days ahead of her, but in an almost childish way. Each nation seemed eager to prove itself the most industrious, wealthy or honorable among the rest.

Katara grinned as she thought of the early meetings held between the nations. The distrust had been so thick in the air that she could have cut it with a dull boomerang. The reinstated king of the Earth Kingdom was willing to give the new, peace-professing Firelord his trust, but his advisors had remained skeptical. And even the elders of the water tribes had trouble believing that the young Firelord meant each entreaty for forgiveness on behalf of his nation. The reparations Zuko doled out went a long way towards repairing relationships between nations, but a cautious, almost friendly rivalry remained.

It would make the next weeks...interesting, Katara decided, as she stepped out of her wrinkled dress, and slipped on a pair of loose, dark grey cropped pants, a long, lightweight sleeveless tunic in a ruddy rose colour, and a pair of soft, flat sandals. She grabbed a sash as she left her room, tying it snugly around her waist.

Today was her last day of freedom, and she planned to spend it wisely.

The usual dining room was empty, but a delicious spread of food as laid out, and she sat herself down in front of a bowl of sliced mangoes. The fruit was fast becoming her favourite.

Katara was halfway through the large bowl when Aang strolled in.

"'Morning," He said, flopping down next to her.

"Mrrnnnrf." Katara replied, around her mouthful of fruit. She swallowed, choking a little-she'd just taken a big bite.

Aang grinned, and helped himself to the mango as well, adding a slice of toast to his plate, and reaching past Katara to grab the teapot.

"So, tomorrow ends our vacation," the airbender stated, pouring himself the steaming tea, "Do you have any plans for today, anything to celebrate our last day without official obligations?"

She groaned, shoving against his shoulder, " Don't remind me. I'm not used to all this fancy representing stuff, not like you, O great and powerful Avatar."

She clasped her hands, and bowed ridiculously low, her forehead touching the table.

"O Avatar Aang, we require your presence at our meeting. We don't know how to proceed without your eons of wisdom, and your stunning hairstyle."

Aang flicked the back of her still bowed head.

"And your manly beard," she added, straightening, "It makes you seem all the wiser."

"Careful," Aang interrupted, flourishing his yogurty spoon at her, "The beard adds to my wisdom, and if you mock it, you may force me to go into the avatar state and rain destruction down upon your head."

"Oooh. I'm scared."

"You should be."

Aang proceeded to eat the rest of his breakfast looking quite smug, while Katara nursed two cups of tea. It was the same spiced tea Zuko had made for her last night-

"So what are you doing today?" Aang asked, pushing a lone mushroom around his plate.

"I'm not sure," she replied, "I thought I might head into the capitol-"

"That's a great plan!"

Aang shot up and dragged Katara up by her wrist.

"A field trip into the capitol, no extra servants. Just the old team Avatar and the Fire Nation capitol."

"Without the whole invasion, and fighting though, right?" Katara prodded, a little worried by the gleam in the taller boy's eye.

"Of course," he said airily, "I was thinking we could take the city by storm _figuratively, _run around and find the best things to do. Shake things up a bit."

Katara followed Aang as he hurried out of the dining room, and back toward their rooms.

He banged on Sokka and Suki's door five times before a bleary-eyed, wild-haired Sokka opened the door.

"Is the palace burning down?" he asked.

"No," Aang said, "But I was just thinking that we could-"

"If the palace isn't burning down, then I'm sleeping in. And if it is, point Katara in the general direction of the fire. She's pretty good with that kind of stuff."

Sokka shut the door on Aang's face.

Katara grinned as Aang shook his head, and began to knock on the door once again. Nothing kept him down for long, she thought.

This time Suki opened the door.

"Sorry about Sokka," she said, rubbing her own bleary eyes, "What is it you want?"

Aang quickly explained his plan for the capitol, and by the time he had finished, Suki was nodding, and said, "That sounds fun. Give us half an hour, and we'll be ready."

Aang bounced down the hall as Suk shut the door once more, and he raised his hand to knock on Toph's door.

Just as his fist was about to make contact with the wood, the door swung open, and Toph walked out.

"I heard your plan," she said airily, "And it sounds like fun."

"Great," Aang said, darting forward to grab the blind woman's hand, "We still have to wait for Sokka and Suki, but let's get breakfast, and then come back to get them."

The couple started walking back towards the dining room when Katara called out, "Aang! You've already eaten breakfast!"

The avatar glanced over his shoulder and grinned impishly.

"I'm hungry again."

Katara imagined that Aang's sudden hunger had more to do with spending time with the lovely earthbender than the actual state of his stomach.

"Fine," She muttered, left alone in the long hall, "I'll just-just-"

Katara paused. She had at least half an hour before her brother and Suki came out of their bedroom, and there was no telling how long Aang and Toph would stay at breakfast.

"I'll get Zuko." She said aloud, as the idea hit her.

This was his last day before the representatives descended, and she was sure he could use some time away from his study. The young Firelord seemed to spend an awful lot time in that room.

Fishing into her trouser pocket, Katara grabbed the map Zuko had made for her, and checking to see where he had marked his study, she set off.

His study was past his rooms and through a couple great halls that left her usually quiet footsteps echoing loudly about the rafters, like a shout ringing off a canyon.

She stopped abruptly in front of a large window, stretching from the floor to the high ceiling, and admired the view.

It looked down upon the new gardens, and she could make out the small figures of people strolling its green paths.

To the right of the window was an engraved, single door, not so grand as her own.

Katara knocked, and waited for a reply. No one answered.

She knocked again, and then began to second-guess herself. Maybe Zuko was still sleeping? It was still rather early in the day; the sun had only just begun to heat the palace halls.

She turned to walk back to her own rooms, and maybe have Mina track down the Firelord, but curiosity pulled her to a stop.

She wanted to see Zuko's study.

She'd never been inside his rooms before last night, and that glimpse into the way he liked to live offered a tantalising view of Zuko himself. He never seemed to follow what was considered "normal".

And so Katara peered down the hall, making sure no one was there to witness her trespassing on the Firelord's privacy. Then she darted back to the door, and cracking it open, slipped in.

It was dark.

Katara blinked rapidly, letting her eyes adjust to the change in light. Glancing around, she saw there was another large window, but this one was covered by long, dark drapes, which let only the tiniest bit of early morning sunlight creep in.

The room itself was smaller than she would have imagined, and rather cluttered. A desk sat against one wall, one half of it's surface buried under a mess of papers, and the other covered with leather folders. A teapot and a cup balanced precariously upon the stacks of paper, and a few candles jutted through the mess as well.

Katara thought that if they had been lit there might have been a serious fire hazard.

Looking around some more, she saw a bookshelf against another wall, packed full of leather folders, identical to the ones on the desk. It also contained a few heavily bound books and tightly rolled scrolls.

As her eyes fully adjusted, Katara noted the low couch that was near the center of the room. It was heaped with an odd assortment of pillows, and blankets-

She blinked.

Those weren't just pillows. Someone was lying on the couch.

Her hand flew up to her mouth just in time to silence her squeak.

Zuko was sleeping in here!

She nearly sprinted to the door, and had it open when she felt that same pull of curiosity.

She fought for a moment, and then, sighing, she shut the door and crept back over to the couch.

Zuko looked different when he was asleep. His face seemed softer, the lean lines of his jaw a little slack. He was even snoring slightly, a small, rather soothing sound.

His dark hair was mussed about his face, a few thick strands falling in front of his eyes. Even his scar looked different, she noted. It looked less painful, like a shadow of a bad memory, but merely a shadow.

She inched closer to the sleeping man; fully aware that she should have left the second she realised he was in here.

But this was a side of Zuko she had yet to see, completely without barriers or expectations to be met or defenses to be made.

She was fascinated.

She leaned down next to him-how had she gotten so close?- and made to brush the hair out of his eyes. Her fingers were just inches from touching him when she realised what she was doing and jerked back.

Unfortunately, her jerk caught her off balance, and Katara tumbled to the ground with a loud "thunk".

Zuko's eyes flew open, and in an instant he had jumped off the couch, and threw himself at her, pushing her further to the ground.

Katara lay stunned, unable to even breathe. She had barely seen him move, and now she was being crushed by his weight.

She exhaled rather forcefully, and stared up at Zuko, who stared right back at her. Then he blinked and recognition crept into his gaze, which had been decidedly unfriendly before.

"Um, Zuko," she whispered out, "You're crushing me. Could you maybe..."

Just as suddenly as he threw himself on her, he was off, and hauling her up with him.

"Katara," he said, looking around in bewilderment, "Why did you-how did you-why are you here?"

He didn't sound angry, she noted with relief, just confused.

"I was trying to find you, to invite to come with all of us into the capitol for the day," she began, unsure if she should make eye contact, for she was sure that her face had flushed to a dark beet color, "And I thought you might be in your study, you know, because you're always working so much, and I thought that you might like to take a day off because everyone is coming tomorrow, and this might be your last chance to get out and have fun and-"

She was muted by his warm hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"Slow down," He stated, and he pulled her back with him to sit on the couch which, she noted absentmindedly, was still warm from his sleeping there.

"And start over," Zuko commanded.

Katara took a deep breath and willed her face to cool down.

"Aang and I thought that it might be a good idea for all of us to head into the capital today. We could go without any servants or fusses, and just spend the day together. Aang was calling it a reunion of Team Avatar and the Fire Nation capital."

One of Zuko's eyebrows quirked up.

"I hope this isn't supposed to be a return to the invasion plan?"

"That's what I asked," She grinned, relaxing a little-Zuko didn't seem angry that she let herself into his study- "But no. We thought we might just see what there is to see and do before the representatives come and all our time is devoted to this conference."

Zuko nodded as she was speaking, and once she had quieted, he said "That sounds like a good idea. I think I did enough work last night to excuse myself from working today."

He gestured about the room.

"I stayed up late last night, after we...talked, and did some work for the conference. That's why I was sleeping on here. It's my bed away from bed."

"Oh. I'm sorry about intruding," She murmured, a wave of embarrassment washing over her, "I was just looking for you, and when no one answered to my knock-" She shrugged- "I was curious."

Zuko grinned, his eyes still a little sleepy looking.

Katara felt the sudden urge to reach over and smooth his messy hair; he looked so much younger with it falling about his shoulders.

"It's not a problem," he answered easily, "And if I can have a little time to change, I'd love to go into the city with you."

Katara smiled at him, and she was sure she must look like an utter idiot, with her smile stretching across her face.

He stood, and Katara followed, walking close behind him as he strode out of the room and through the halls. Zuko nodded to the guard standing by his door, and then ushered Katara in before she knew what was happening.

"Wait," She began looking around his rooms, now sunlight and cheerful, in contrast to the way they seemed last night, "Should I be in here-"

Zuko cut her off with a sharp hand movement and said, "It's fine, I'll only be second, and besides-" he grinned- "I could really use some help with my hair."

Katara looked at his mess of a head of hair and agreed.

"Alright."

"Great," Zuko said, "Give me a moment..."

And with that he dashed into a doorway and disappeared for about half a minute.

Returning to the main room, Katara saw that he had not only thrown on a fresh pair of trousers, well worn boots, and a cream, long sleeved tunic, but that he had somehow managed to get his hair dripping wet, and was looking at her expectantly from behind a curtain of soaking black hair.

She burst into giggles.

"What?" the disheveled Firelord asked, frowning at her, "Did I put on mismatching boots?"

He glanced down at his toes, then back at her, his brows furrowed.

"It's your hair," she finally sputtered out, "You look like a half-drowned monkey-lion."

Zuko's brows cleared, and then he gave Katara a very regal glare.

"You may now aid me with my royal hair, water tribe peasant. Quickly now."

He sat down on a cushion by his bed, and Katara scurried over, doing her best impersonation of a devoted servant, including a rather slavish look pasted on her face.

"Yes, Firelord Zuko, sir," she murmured, bending the excess water out of his hair with a sharp movement, "Right away, you Fireyness."

She stood behind him, and leaned over his head, gathering up his hair. She was ridiculously glad that he couldn't see her face as she worked his hair into a simple topknot. It was thick, and smooth and actually quite silky. With a twinge, she realised that it was probably prettier than her hair.

She took the leather binder he offered and tied the knot in place.

"There," she said, letting her hands fall to her sides, "All done, Your Sparkyness. Is there anything else you need from this humble peasant?"

Zuko scrambled and grinned down at her.

"That should be all for now. You may escort me to my esteemed guests."

Katara held her arm out with a flourish and Zuko placed his large hand upon it lightly.

They walked through the halls to the guest rooms, and only once Sokka nd Suki and Aang and Toph were in sight did Zuko drop his hand from her arm.

He grinned at her as they joined the rest of the group.

"Gee," Toph drawled, a smile lurking about her lips, "It took you two long enough. What were you doing? Having a secret meeting?"

Katara was rather glad that Toph couldn't see her sudden flush.

"Katara just came to get me," Zuko stated, "And I took a little while getting ready for the day."

"Speaking of," interjected Sokka, who seemed much more awake than his previous appearance, "Shouldn't we get going? We only have today, and I have a lot I want to see."

Suki smiled indulgently at her husband, and followed him as sun around and began to stride towards the exit.

Aang took a hold of Toph's hand and started pulling her along.

"Whoa there, Twinkletoes. Not so fast, I thought we agreed upon a limited amount of hand-holding."

The avatar shrugged, and dropped her hand, only to sling his arm around her shoulders.

"Aang!"

He grinned.

Katara started after them, when she heard Zuko demand, "Peasant! Aren't you going to offer to escort me?"

Turning around she found Zuko standing with his hands folded and his stance wide, the very picture of indignance.

She swept a ridiculously low curtsy, made even sillier by her lack of a skirt, and held out her arm.

With a smirk, Zuko took it and tucked it next to his side.

"Let's catch up," he said.

And they followed her friends and family out of the palace.

Katara was sure that this would be a good day.


	12. Chapter 12

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Another UPDATE! **

**Heavens to goodness, I stayed up way to late writing this chapter. I just hope you all enjoy the product of my determination and the can of cherry coke I turned to, in desperation for caffeine. Tell me what you think, leave some constructive criticism, say hello…let me know something! (I hope I don't sound too needy, it's just that I've discovered that new reviews are an addictive substance. And I'm an addict.)**

**So, enjoy!**

**I'm off to bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of distant thunder and pounding rain:) Lucky me. Hehe.**

"This is delicious!"

Zuko smirked as Katara bit into the fried fruit dumpling he had just bought for her.

She took another bite, and moaned.

"Watinstff?"

Zuko glanced back at the booth where he had found the treat, and guessed "Umn, Mangos, tart cherries and black raspberries."

His companion swallowed and exclaimed, "I _need _to get that recipe! Gran-gran would love it."

She frowned then, adding, "Although, I don't know how we would get fresh fruit like those to the South Pole. We're stuck with dried fruit, and whatever can survive the trip on a ship."

"And I have to eat fresh fruit the entire year long," Zuko groaned, making a annoyed face, "Oh, how we both must suffer."

She shoved him playfully, and started walking down the street away from him.

"Hey!"

Zuko hurried to catch up with her, and tried not to stare at the sway of her hips as he caught up. It was hard. The top she had on-it was some kind of pink- emphasised her small waist, and with every step she took her slender hips swayed-

"Zuko? Are you coming?"

He blinked and strode up to her side, resolutely keeping his eyes on her face. Her face, which was dominated by her large eyes, her dark lashes, her lips-oh, Agni- when he had woken up to see her hovering above him, he had reacted instantaneously. Part of him was so surprised that he launched into an offensive move, and the other part had reveled in the fact that she looked so breathtakingly beautiful, even in her shock.

"Where do you think the others got off to?" Katara asked, glancing around the street they had just turned onto.

Aang and Toph had taken off almost immediately- He was continually amazed by Toph's acquiescence to the amount of alone she and Aang spent together- and then Suki had dragged Sokka into a shop whose windows featured baby clothing. Suki sure didn't look pregnant, but he figured that some things took time to show, and maybe Suki was just enthusiastic about the idea of little Sokkas running around.

Zuko shuddered at the thought.

"It's been half a day," Katara added, stopping at a booth to finger a gauzy scarf that was almost the exact same colour as her eyes, "And it's starting to feel like rain."

He had started to sense the shift in weather as well. The morning' heat had been intense, the kind of heat that didn't leave a person sweaty but rather drained all of their energy. It had made walking miles of the capitol miserable. The only reason Zuko had pushed on was Katara's determination to explore and to "enjoy our last day of freedom", as the waterbender put it.

Observing her throughout the day, Zuko noted that Katara had started to lag very soon after they had left the palace, but she had refused to quit. He had made sure that they stopped regularly for food, but even that had been a struggle. Katara hadn't wanted to eat anything until just now. And so they had wandered in the city, Zuko only steering her away from the less savory streets once in a great while.

When the war had ended, the capitol had flooded with soldiers, and that influx brought about a rise in crime. Zuko spent the better part of a year clearing out the seedy parts of the capitol, creating programs for newly returned soldiers, and encouraging his nobles to find new ways to employ the returned men and woman. The result was a safer capitol and a prospering nation.

"Actually, I think it's going to storm," Katara amended, drawing Zuko out of his thoughts, "I can practically _smell_ the lightning coming."

He knew what she meant. The dry heat of the morning was starting to give way to a humid, persistent wind from the ocean.

"Maybe we should head back," Zuko suggested, "Afternoon storms can get rough in this season."

Katara agreed, and they began the hike back to the palace.

Zuko was surprised to discover just had far they had walked. The leisurely pace they had maintained throughout the morning-twisting their way between streets- had left them nearly an hour away from the palace.

The feeling of an impending downpour thickened, and Zuko was worriedly looking up at the sky when Katara stumbled.

He grabbed her elbow, steadying her by pulling her in close to his side.

"Thanks," she mumbled. She didn't step away from him, so Zuko readjusted his hold on her elbow-instead of supporting her, he just kept his hand on her sleeve-and they walked on in silence for quite some time.

He reveled in the chance to be close to her, to hold at least a part of her, to have her to himself, no matter if it was selfish of him. This was Katara, not his country. He didn't have to be a selfless leader for her. He could be himself.

Zuko couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, but he had come to realise that he cared for Katara, more than a friend would, and with a fierceness that surprised even him. That realisation had crept up on him, an unnamable ache when she was away from him, and a sense of rightness when she was near.

He supposed he hadn't felt much for her when they first met but contempt- she was a water tribe peasant, traveling with the object of his three-year hunt. Admiration had quickly formed, for both her unyielding spirit and her mastery of her element. During his time as a refugee in the Earth Kingdom, she had rarely crossed his mind, for he had been focused on the immediate future, which hadn't looked to hold her at all. Then there had been that fiasco under the palace in Ba Sing Se; Zuko could recall perfectly the look on Katara's face as she comprehended that he had betrayed their weak, short-lived bond and was attacking Aang and her. He hoped never to see that look again.

After his return to the Fire Nation, she had interrupted his thoughts at odd moments, invading on war meetings and awkward family meals, and occasionally haunting his dreams.

Zuko had been so sure that she was going to welcome him into the avatar's gang after the day of the invasion; When she made her distrust of him clear, he had felt regret straight to his bones. It had been jarring. Gaining her trust back was a long journey, but looking back, he now supposed that that trial had been the starting point of-of what she meant to him presently. Sure, he had assured himself that they were just friends past the end of the war, but Zuko could admit to himself now that Katara was more than a friend to him. He didn't just like her; it went beyond liking and into a depth of caring that he had little knowledge of.

It kinda scared him.

"Zuko?"

He shook his head, and looked at the object of his contemplations. Katara had tilted her head up to stare at him.

"Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet today."

"I'm fine."

Katara raised her eyebrows at his short reply, and Zuko sighed softly.

"It's just been a long time since I've been able to take a day for myself, and I think it'll probably be a long time before I can do this again. I"- He would _not_ blush!- "I had a nice time today. With you."

Katara brushed his arm lightly, and smiled.

"I had a nice time too. It was good to get out of the palace-"

She blinked suddenly, her face alarmed.

"Not that I don't like the palace, Zuko. It's lovely, and- and large, and comfortable. It's just that..."

He knew exactly what she meant.

"It can get a little oppressive," he supplied, thinking about the feeling of being watched that grew on him as he spent time in the palace, "And the capitol is a change of pace from the usual-formality of the palace."

"Exactly," Katara exclaimed, pulling her arm from his to throw her hands into the air, "I feel like everything I say has to be politically correct, that if I insult someone I might get thrown into the dungeon."

"Nah. We only throw mutinous waterbenders in the dungeon."

She put her hands on her hips and stopped walking, which Zuko didn't notice until he was several steps ahead of her. Turning around, he found Katara glaring at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Careful, Your Most Royal Sparkiness, some mutinous waterbenders wouldn't hesitate to freeze you to the ground and leave you out in the rain."

He laughed, and jogging back to her, captured her hand in his, and pulled her down the street.

"Speaking of rain," he said as they continued, "I think we're about to get wet."

The sky had darkened with clouds, and they were low, dark and heavy looking.

"Lucky you're walking with a master waterbender," Katara grumbled, "Or your precious royal head might get wet."

"Allowing the Firelord's person to get soaked is another offense punishable by time in the dungeons. Don't push it, Lady Water Peasant."

Katara sniffed, and Zuko grinned as they entered through the palace gates.

They were walking past the gardens when a peal of thunder shook the ground, and the heavens let loose.

Laughing, Katara threw her hands up, and the deluge was diverted around them, her bending creating a dome that kept them dry.

The waterbender's cheeks were flushed, and Zuko reached up to grab one of her hands, and pulled her, still laughing, into the gardens.

The rain fell down in a more sporadic way among the tall flowers and bushes, and the small amount of light that broke through the leaf laden branches was green and muted.

Zuko led Katara on, while she giggled out, "Where are we going, Zuko? Come on, it's pouring."

Zuko knew exactly where he was going.

Two lefts, a right, another left and one more right and they stumbled into his favourite part of the gardens.

The narrow pathway split, and while one side continued winding through the garden, the other path led to a small pergola, nestled between to willows, and draped with flowering vines.

The scent of the little blossoms mixed with the fresh smell of rain was intoxicating. Katara sighed at the structure, and darted forward, dragging Zuko with her.

"This is lovely! What are these flowers? I've never seen them before."

"They're called 'blushing snow'," Zuko said, reaching up to touch the soft petals, "When two blossoms touch, they turn from white to pink."

"Oh! I can see it!"

Katara stood on her tiptoes, grasping his shoulder for support as she examined the delicate flowers above them.

She was so close.

Zuko swallowed dryly, and stood very still as Katara settled back to her normal height, and grinned up at him.

"This place is beautiful, Zuko."

"I designed it," he said, feeling a bit like a child holding up a drawing to his mother, hoping she would like it-appreciate he thought he had put into it.

"You did? I didn't realise you could do that kind of thing."

He shrugged, astronomically proud of the awe he heard in her voice. She was impressed. By him.

"Zuko?"

She had tilted her head up towards his. Her face-her lips were only a short distance from his.

"Mmhmm?"

What would she do if he-

"I was wondering..." She trailed off.

"What?"

She must have gone on her tiptoes again, because her nose was getting closer to his. Or was he bending down?

"Will you kiss me?"

Zuko's head jerked back as his heavily lidded eyes sprung open.

What?

Had he heard her correctly? Did she just ask him to kiss her?

_Was he dreaming?_

He blinked twice, but she stood there still, face upturned, eyes wide.

He wasn't dreaming. She had asked him to kiss her.

She had asked him.

Years of manners kicked in, years of hearing that a gentleman always respected a lady's wishes, and so Zuko did the only thing he could have at that moment.

He kissed her.

He leaned down, grasped her shoulders lightly, and grazed her lips with his.

Her mouth was soft, and warm, and...smiling?

Yes. Katara was smiling while he kissed her.

He watched as her lashes fluttered quickly, her eyes closed and her cheeks pink. Her breath huffed out, cool against his skin. He let his own eyes shut, and closed out the world. It was just the two of them.

Her lips glided over his, and his arms moved to surround her, to pull her closer to him. He wanted to hold all of her to crush her into his skin, to imprint Katara on his body and in his memory.

Her lips softened, and he flicked his tongue to the corner of her mouth, where her smiled rested.

She made a small noise in the back of her throat. It almost sounded like a purr.

He wanted more. He wanted her arms to grip his shoulders harder, to taste the skin that rested over the pulse fluttering under her jaw.

But Katara stepped away, her eyes flying open, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

And she was still smiling, a small twist of her lips.

He felt cold as she pulled back from his embrace.

"Katara-" He began, his voice raspy and low. She held up her hand, and stopped whatever he had been going to say. Not that he _knew _what he had been going to say.

"Thank you."

_Thank you_? As if he had given her something, as if he had done something for her?

He had just kissed Katara! He had been dreaming of doing that for years now. Why was she thanking him? It was his fantasy she had just fulfilled.

His face must have shown something of what he was thinking, for Katara placed a slender hand on his sleeve, and steered him out of the canopied pergola, with it's heavy perfume, and down the path once more.

He distantly noted that she was still keeping the rain from drenching them, but he was more focused on Katara herself, and what she was going to say next.

_She had thanked him!_

"I just meant," she began, "that-that that was lovely. I didn't really think that your were going to actually kiss me."

Had she not really wanted that kiss? Zuko felt his face burn at the thought, but then dismissed it. She had seemed eager enough. And she had asked for it, for Agni's sake!

"You asked me to." He stated slowly, watching various emotions flicker across her face. To his immense satisfaction, neither regret nor repulsion were one of them.

"I know, and I just-"

Suddenly, Zuko was doused in a shower of rain. It was so heavy that Katara looked blurred next to him.

However, despite the sheet of rain, he could still see Katara's face, and what he saw there made him grab for her.

She looked terrified.

Her eyes were wide, her irises rolling up slightly. The faint blush that had been in her cheeks just seconds ago was gone, replaced by a ghostly pallor.

Most frightening was the sound she was making, a soft, choked noise. her hands flew up to her throat, and her knees buckled.

"Katara!" He shouted, easing her down to the path as her legs gave way, "What is it? What's wrong?"

She only shook her head, and pushed his hands aside.

Zuko knelt beside her as her face turned a blue that froze the blood in his veins.

What were you supposed to do when a person was choking? He couldn't remember the technique Uncle had mentioned briefly in a long ago conversation, and so he settled for thumping Katara on her back, all the while staring at her face trying to see if her was helping

She shook her head again.

He stopped, then stood up, his head jerking back and forth looking for someone to help.

Her eyes were fluttering now, her lips bloodless.

He bent down, swung her into his arms, and started to run along the path. He needed to get help.

Katara's head lolled onto his shoulder, and she stopped making those terrifying noises.

Zuko glanced down at her and felt his blood pounding in his ears. She had to be okay. If he ran fast enough-

With a sudden squirm, she drew in a deep gasp of air, her eyes flying open. Zuko slowed his run to a jog, then to a stop as she breathed heavily, her body shuddering.

They stayed like that for awhile, Katara breathing deeply, and Zuko staring down at her.

Then, with a twist, she jerked herself out of his arms, landing roughly on her feet.

"Katara," Zuko reached for her shoulders, ready to steady her, but she pulled back, "Are you alright? Do you need a healer? What happened?"

Katara straightened, and stood for a moment, just looking at him.

"I'm fine," she said firmly, then turned away from him.

A wave of anger washed over him.

"Fine?!" He half-bellowed, grasping her shoulder, and turning her around, "Don't tell me you are fine. You almost died just now!"

"I'm fine, Zuko. Let me go."

The rain that had been drenching them both was suddenly stopped, and Zuko noticed in a corner of his mind that she was bending it away from them again.

"You are not fine, Katara. What just happened? Why-"

His eyes narrowed as he watched her fingers rise up to her neck, and rub the skin underneath her pale betrothal necklace.

Underneath the ribbon, her skin was raw and red looking. Almost as if-as if...

"What is that?" He demanded, pointing to her necklace.

Katara started, her hands dropping down from her throat.

"What is what?" she shot back.

"Your necklace," he continued, bending close to her and examining the white ribbon, "It just did that."

"Did what?"

Zuko glanced up at Katara's face. It was pale and pinched looking, her eyes hooded and refusing to meet his stare.

"It choked you."

Katara jerked her gaze to him and they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

Then her shoulders drooped, and her eyes closed. Zuko noted that her eyelashes stood out like dark feathers on her skin.

"We should go inside." Katara said, turning once more towards the palace.

"I want to know what just happened!" Zuko demanded, striding to catch up with her as she walked away from him.

"I know," she said with a sigh, "But I'm cold, and I think that we should have this conversation somewhere we won't be disturbed."

Zuko decided not to point out that not many people would disturb them in the gardens, in the middle of a rainstorm. Instead he walked with her out of the gardens, into the palace, and through the quiet halls until they reached his bedroom door.

Ignoring his guard, he opened the door for her, and followed behind, shutting it with a firm "thud".

The room was dark, and so Zuko light the wall lamps quickly, absentmindedly shooting small arrows of flame towards the wicks. They lit instantly, giving the room a warm, soft light.

Katara had already settled herself on one of his many large floor cushions, and Zuko sunk onto one next to her.

Her head was bowed, and her hands were clasped in her lap, so tightly her knuckles were pearly white.

When she didn't speak for a few moments, he growled out "Katara..."

She straightened, and looked him in the eyes.

"This is a little hard to start, Zuko, so please- be patient."

A rush of guilt flooded him as he saw the tension on her face and in her shoulders.

He scooted closer to her, and adjusted his inner flame; she had said she was cold, and Zuko would help to warm her up.

"Try to start at the beginning," he suggested, remembering his uncle telling him the same thing a very long time ago after a particularly horrific nightmare. Iroh had always insisted that Zuko share his dreams, good and bad. Despite protesting the odd ritual, he had found it always helped to talk them over with someone. Maybe Iroh's sometimes-helpful odd-wisdom would help in this situation.

Katara sniffed, scooted closer to him, and then began.


	13. Chapter 13

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Another night, another mug of coffee, another update…**

**Welcome to chapter 13! And no- it isn't unlucky or anything, it's just another chapter:)**

**Share with all you Zutara shipping friends, leave me some reviews or something, and have a loverly day,**

**Yours truly,**

**A slightly exhausted caffeine addict.**

**Ps. I've reached 155 pages on my google doc for this story. That's a little over 40,000 words. And that's about a third of the general novel's length. Holy crow. I feel so writey…**

It had been hard to get started. She tripped over her words at the beginning, and Zuko had interrupted a fair few times. She had told him once, quietly, not to cut her off and he had remained quiet through the rest of her telling.

It had been easier once she got going, though she kept her eyes on her lap, and her voice soft. It seemed to make the explanation a little less disturbing, like she was telling the story of another girl.

But she was finished now, and the silence was pressing on her.

Zuko was sitting in the exact same spot as he had sat down almost an hour ago. She couldn't see his face, wouldn't look up at it.

Katara couldn't imagine what he was thinking-what he was thinking about her. Katara had already called herself every sort of reprehensible name, cursing herself for being too trusting, too naive. There wasn't anything he could say that she hadn't thought already.

He shifted on his cushion, and the movement startled her. Her eyes flew up to his face.

Zuko was staring at her, his amber eyes wide and unreadable.

She stood up, her knees protesting the sudden change in position. She really couldn't stand not knowing what Zuko was thinking.

"Zuko?" She asked, looking down at him, "Are you- What do..."

She trailed off, and Zuko got to his feet in a smooth unfolding of his limbs.

He took one step towards her, then another.

"Katara," he finally said stopping just inches away from her, "I-I don't know what to say."

Her shoulders slumped. He was disgusted with her. She was supposed to be a great Waterbending master, a friend of the avatar and a leader in her tribe, and she had been crippled by a man from-

With a huff, Zuko leaned towards her, and gently pulled her against his chest, hugging her. His arms circled around her back tentatively.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, his lips moving against her hair, "I'm so sorry that this has happened. I wish you would have told someone-I wish you would have told _me _before."

His arms tightened around her, and all the emotions she had been keeping in check-anxiety, anger, fear- overwhelmed her. Her breath hitched, and then she started to shake, crying hot tears onto Zuko's shoulder. Her sobs were muffled by his shirt, which was quickly becoming damp under her cheeks. Zuko whispered softly, as her head stayed tucked beneath his chin, murmuring soothing words, none of which she actually understood, but the sound of his deep voice, and the rumbling in his chest calmed her more than words.

She didn't know how long they stood like that, only that she sobbed until her cries became shuddering gasps, and then her quick shaky breaths became hiccups. Zuko's arms remained around her, and when she could hear above her own noise, she discovered that he was humming quietly.

It was a sort of tuneless melody- strangely familiar-but Katara was sure she had never heard Zuko sing before. His voice was deep, and quite a bit more gravelly than his voice.

She took a deep breath, and stepped out of the warmth of Zuko's arms. The firelord stopped humming, and she could see him scrutinising her, checking to see if she would burst into tears again.

"I'm fine, Zuko." She stated, wiping at her wet cheeks, "Really."

Zuko stared at her a moment longer, than nodded, as if deciding to take her word for it.

Katara slid back down to the floor, and settled herself on her cushion. She imagined Zuko might want to talk about this...new development.

Zuko sat down too, rather forcefully. If cushions could groan in the same way a chair did when it was flopped upon, Zuko's cushion would have _groaned_.

He seemed calm, she thought, watching his face. Zuko's brow was smooth, his jaw relaxed and his eyes hooded. She felt like an utter disaster seated next to him. Her hair had long since escaped its knot-it probably looked like some kind of nest- her clothes were wrinkled and she knew that her eyes were puffy, and her nose red.

Yet, despite his expression of calm, Katara noticed small signs that he was anything but; the tips of his ears had turned bright red, something which she noticed happened when he was experiencing an intense emotion- she knew this because she had seen him hold in his laughter for more than seven minutes when faced with a shopping Sokka.

He cleared his throat.

"So this-" he made an abrupt gesture at her throat- "necklace chokes you."

She nodded, even though he had not really asked a question.

"And you can't take it off."

Another nod.

"And he controls this through bending?"

A real question this time. One she didn't have a true answer to.

"I'm not sure"- her voice sounded a little rough, no very surprising considering that she had just been sobbing- "Lakkin never- he never took the time to explain how it works."

Katara smiled grimly at that mental image; Lakkin sitting her down and patiently showing her just exactly how his method of torture worked. She could almost see him doing it too.

"And you can't take it off?"

"It has a clasp in the back," she said, reaching up to finger the smooth, cold piece of metal, "But I've never been able to undo it, and the ribbon won't be cut by any knife I've tried."

Zuko blanched, "You tried to cut your necklace with a knife? It's almost flat on your neck."

"I know," and she reached up to lift her hair off her neck. Twisting, she exposed her neck to Zuko's eyes, and heard him hiss as he saw the scar she had given herself.

Katara had tried to cut the necklace of almost immediately after she realised what it could do; the result had been a large gash on the back of her neck. She had healed herself quickly, but had refused to heal the wound completely. She like the scar. It reminded her, it kept her angry, for sometimes Katara started to feel a sort of apathetic fog settle down on her, a sense of inescapable future. She never used to think of herself as passive, but having all of her choices swept away from her left Katara feeling rather...unlike herself. The raised scar gave her strength.

"You idiot," she heard Zuko breathe out, but before she could retort, he lifted his hand and brushed over the scar. Goosebumps broke out across her arms. His hand was warm- like always.

As soon as he brought his hand back to his lap, she shrugged.

"I was rather desperate."

Zuko stared at her a moment, before returning to his questions, gesturing to her necklace.

"You said that he has distributed this same material throughout your entire village?"

"It's become very popular. It's not overly expensive, hardy and it can be used for almost anything."

'Do you think that the entire Western Tribe has a part in this? If they do, that's reason enough to declare war-"

Katara started, then shook her head jerkily, cutting off his words.

"No. There will not be another war," She stated, any warmth Zuko has passed to her fleeing at the though, "It isn't worth it."

"Katara-" Zuko began, a warning in his voice, but she shushed him.

"I can find a way to fix this, Zuko. And I can't allow this to affect anyone else. This is my fault."

With a growl, Zuko reached over and grabbed her shoulder. Giving it a shake he ground out through gritted teeth, "Is it your fault that this Lakkin is unworthy of being called a human being? Or that he choose to target you and your tribe? That he likes to inflict pain?"

She opened her mouth to argue-none of that mattered! Couldn't he see that Lakkin had-

"No." He answered vehemently, "It isn't your fault. The only thing you have done is been yourself; you were quick to trust, ready to love. Katara, you can't blame yourself for being you."

Katara had to stop herself from shrugging. It was easy to blame herself. Looking back, she could see so many things that should have warned her, so many things she could have done differently.

His voice gentler, Zuko loosed his grip on her shoulder, saying, "Katara, we're gonna figure out how to get that thing off. And if the Western Tribe is behind this, they will pay."

Even with a softer voice, Zuko sounded menacing as he promised this.

"Your tribe will be fine, and I will see Lakkin thrown into the deepest, darkest dungeon I have."

Even given the serious situation, Katara felt her mouth quirk up.

"You mean the ones you reserve for mutinous waterbenders?"

"Yes."

Katara actually smiled.

"I thought I was going to be housed down there."

Zuko frowned, then he caught on to the earlier conversation she was referring to, for his face cleared.

"Well, I have decided to grant you a royal pardon, despite you general lack of concern for the well-being of the Firelord, and your overall annoying behavior."

"I appreciate that gesture."

Zuko scooted closer to her on his cushion, and she could feel the heat radiating off his skin. It was funny, no matter how hot it was, Zuko's temperature never made her feel uncomfortable. It was as if he let off just enough heat to make a distinction between himself and the air.

His face settled back into seriousness, and he said "Everything will be fine. We can talk to Aang-"

Her spine stiffening, Katara interjected.

"No! I don't want him to know, or Sokka or anybody else. Not now. It's too- it's too..."

Zuko sat, waiting for her to finish.

"I just don't want them to think less of me. I'm supposed to be Katar of the Southern Water Tribe, daughter of Chief Hakoda, master waterbender... you know? I feel like I'm letting them down, that I'm letting myself down. I should be better- strong enough to take care of this myself, or get rid of the problem. And I can't."

She held Zuko's eyes, refusing to look away, to back down from this. She had already admitted the story to Zuko, and more than a large part of her was mortified. The other, smaller part reasoned that this was _Zuko_, and that she could trust him. This part seemed to reside not in her head, but in the aching region of her chest.

Finally, Zuko nodded.

"Alright," he muttered, "But you _are_ going to let me help you with this."

His tone brooked no argument, and so Katara murmured in quiet accord. She could let Zuko help her. He had helped her before.

A yawn suddenly split her jaw, causing Zuko's stern face to break into a smile.

"What time is it?" She asked, after her yawn had finished, and she could from comprehensible words.

"Late," Zuko replied immediately, "The sun's already set."

"How do you-" She stopped herself. "Right. Firebender thing."

"Yup."

Katara yawned again, her eyes watering. She was exhausted, she realised. She'd spent the day walking with Zuko, and then had proceeded to drain herself even more by telling him all about Lakkin.

With a sigh, she leaned back onto another cushion, her head laying close to Zuko's lap. Maybe she could close her eyes for a few second and then head back to her rooms. She had to get to bed soon- her whole body seemed much heavier than usual.

Laying there, she remembered something she had forgotten to say, something that really should be said. Even as she started to drift behind her closed eyelids, she murmured, "Zuko?"

"Mhmmm?"

"I forgot to tell you something."

It was rather ridiculous that she had failed to mention this, it was a big deal. She was just so tired that she couldn't really care about it at the moment. That, and the fact that Zuko had started to stroke her hair; it felt almost as good as when he had taken her in his arms and kissed her in the-

"What is it?"

"I just got a letter from Lakkin. He's coming tomorrow."

Zuko's hand paused a second, then continued making it's way through her hair, his fingers leaving a wake of hypersensitivity.

"Don't worry, Katara. It's going to be fine."

And as she fell asleep next to him, Katara almost believed his words.

/././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././../././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

Zuko was proud of himself.

Iroh was always telling him that he had to control his temper, that rage was unhealthy and should be expelled in sparring bouts or bending practices. Anger was quick fuel, Uncle stated, and it could not be the source of any strong firebenders power.

At this moment, Zuko had never disagreed more with his uncle. He felt as if he could burn down an entire forest with a few sideways jabs, or dry up the oceans with his breath of fire. He felt as if he was burning up from the inside out- a curious feeling for a firebender who was always in control of his inner flame. He had never experienced this before.

But then, he had never felt anger like this before either.

Katara was curled up on his bedroom floor, her head close to him. Her face was peaceful, relaxed, and her breathing was steady.

Not like when it had been cut off earlier this evening.

By Lakkin.

The name sent a fresh surge of heat through him. He usually didn't allow himself to hate; Hate was a selfish emotion for the ruler of a nation, it led to rash action and regrets. But however selfish it was, Zuko had come to hate a man he'd never met in the course of one evening, and with a force that astounded him.

Despite the anger-the resentment that he felt for this faceless man swirling inside him, Zuko had remained calm. And so he was proud of himself. He hadn't shouted or stormed about his room as he had wished to, but instead he had listened to all Katara had to say. He had held her while she cried- a very different embrace from the one they shared earlier that evening. He had promised her that they would fix this, that Lakkin would be dealt justice.

Zuko meant every word he said; he wanted to see that man thrown into a pit so deep the light of day would never reach him, he wanted to claw Katara's necklace off with his bare hands, shredding the pale ribbon away.

Those things, however, weren't what he most desired to do at the moment; What Zuko really wanted to do right now was burn something. Something big.

He growled low, and then, taking a deep breath, forced his inner fire to calm down. It had been getting hotter and hotter throughout Katara's telling.

Glancing down at his sleeping companion, Zuko decided not to wake her. There were dark smudges underneath her eyes, and Zuko couldn't bring himself to deprive her of her sleep. Instead, he knelt down beside her and picked her up, cradling her like a child as he walked over to his bed.

Laying her down on top of his sheets, he grabbed a throw blanket, and covered her. He also slid a pillow beneath her head, smoothing her wild hair out of the way as he did so.

Then, he strode out of his room, extinguishing the lamps as he did, with a mere pull of energy, snuffing them out.

He walked through the palace halls with purpose, and when he reached his destination, he paused only to shrug off his shirt and shoes.

Then he began to bend.

At first, he performed familiar routines, but the structured steps and poses only made him frustrated. He abandoned routine, and started lashing out in every direction, sending great waves of flames from him. He made no noise, the only sound in the firelit practice courtyard was the sound of crackling flames, and the whoosh of night air being consumed.

He only stopped once he was completely drained, once the rage he felt had simmered down to a glowing ember- able to set fire to the world, but tame enough to handle.

Soaking with sweat, he made his way back to his rooms slowly, briefly nodding at his guard, who met his eye and bowed his head.

Zuko lit one lamp, and after checking to see that Katara was still sleeping, he headed straight into his bathing room, and slipped into his ready bath.

Tonight, he didn't bother heating the water up. He just cleaned himself thoroughly, and let the cool water wash over him, helping to calm him more.

He slid underwater and held his breath for as long as possible, relishing in the muted silence of the element, enjoying the soft currents and eddies that spun around him. He sometimes wished that he had been born a waterbender; they didn't seem to have to deal with the suffocating pressure that fire brought. Water soothed and healed, it nourished and whispered.

He broke the surface, and pushed himself out of the deep tub. Toweling off, he slid into the light tunic and bottoms he had brought in with him; it didn't seem right to change in the same room where Katara was sleeping-even if she was asleep.

He fingercombed his hair as he padded out into his room, absentmindedly untangling a few knots as he walked over to his bed.

Katara had kicked the blanket off of her legs, and her barefeet were showing, toes curled slightly. He smoothed the soft fabric back over her, then swept up some large cushions from where they had been sitting earlier.

Arranging them on the floor beside his low bed, Zuko made a sort of nest out of the cushions, and finding another blanket, he lowered himself onto the ground.

Due to the fact that his bed was only medium sized mattress on the floor, he could still make out Katara's sleeping form. She was breathing steadily, as those deeply asleep are prone to, and Zuko lay there for awhile, watching her shoulders and side rise and fall gently.

He couldn't believe she had suffered through this for so long. He couldn't believe she hadn't told anyone. Katara was never one to let any sort of injustice or need go by her unchallenged, and so this seemed so unlike her.

But then again, he amended, Katara had never shirked away from sacrifice in the face of a greater good, and if she felt like she could be helping others by suffering...she would.

Zuko shifted on his cushions, then bent the lone lamp dark.

He was left in the black room, listening to the sound of Katara breathing deeply.

He acknowledged that he was tired as his eyes slid shut, but he also felt a strange swelling of anticipation. He was ready to meet the next morning with resolution and determination. This Lakkin represented a new challenge; one with much higher stakes than Zuko had ever fought for. And she would be fighting with him.

Zuko grinned savagely as he fell asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**aelisabethchilds:**

**And…here's another update! Sorry it's short, but the next one should be up pretty soon.**

**Also- I have no idea about proper fanfic author etiquette; Am I supposed to reply to all of my lovely reviews? **

**I mean-seriously-my little sister sat in awe this week when I did a ridiculous happy dance because beanaroony read my story… **

***Iroh's voice of wisdom- "Dancing is best done with no one watching- it limits the judgment passed down upon us and allows our feet to be light."**

_**Gah**_**. I'm blabbering. **

**Just ignore me. **

**Or don't, and read my fic…**

"Dammit...Of all days to sleep in, why today?...Where did I put that stupid sock?!"

Katara blinked cautiously, sure she was still dreaming.

She seemed to be listening to an rather cross person thudding their way about.

Letting her eyes slide shut once more, she squirmed around in her bed, relishing the soft sheets and slightly smoky scent. It smelled like-

She bolted up, scrambling off the mattress as she realised where she was. Who she was with.

Rubbing her eyes quickly, Katara looked across Zuko's room to see the young Firelord performing some odd kind of dance, hopping on one stockinged foot, while shoving his arms into a deep scarlet formal robe. He looked so ridiculous, with his hair falling around his face, and his body jerking awkwardly that she giggled. She knew now was probably not the best time to find amusement in their situation- she had just _spent the night_ in Zuko's room!- but she couldn't help herself.

Zuko's head shot up, and he stared at her as she laughed, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. He looked so comical that she laughed harder, her shoulders shaking.

His brows furrowed a second, then smoothed as Zuko's face relaxed into a grin.

"I must look idiotic," He said, stopping his hurried dressing, "But I'm supposed to be down at the docks in less than an hour. All my advisors said that it would be a friendly, respectful gesture. I agree, it's just that I have to spend the entire day down there."

He grimaced.

"Well, I'm sure that all the representatives and politicians will appreciate your gesture," Katara said, running a hand through her tangled hair then assessing Zuko's own tangled locks. "And here-" she walked over to his side, and tugged on his hair- "I can help you get ready."

Zuko blinked down at her, then shrugged.

"That'd be nice."

He straightened out his collar, tied his sash and slipped his other sock on-which Katara found on the floor-before he sat down on a cushion and let Katara fix his hair.

She finger combed through it first, trying to not to slow down to appreciate just how thick and smooth it was. Zuko's hair was definitely prettier than her own.

She sighed as she untangled the last knot, and accepted the leather binder he offered to her.

"What?" Zuko queried-he must have heard her sigh.

She grinned crookedly, though he couldn't see her, "It's just that your hair is much better behaved than mine is. I have had to resort to bending water through it to take out knots before. Mine is just...unmanageable. And big."

Zuko twisted underneath her hands, pulling his hair free from the bun she had almost tied.

"I like your hair," he stated, reaching up to pull on a loose curl, "It suits you."

Katara's breath caught; kneeling behind him as she was put their faces at level heights. Yesterday's kiss replayed in her mind, and she swayed forward a little.

Zuko's gaze flickered down to her mouth, and she waited for him to close the distance between them.

Instead, he smiled slowly at her, and turned back around.

Katara swallowed heavily; she had _felt _his smile through her toes.

Flushing slightly, she fixed her attention back onto Zuko's hair, and after a few moments, she successfully tied the binder around his thick, dark hair. The resulting bun probably wasn't perfect, but it would pass any close inspection. It wasn't really her fault that her hands had been trembling...

"Thanks," Zuko said, springing up from the ground. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up off her knees.

"It wasn't a problem," She assured him, "and besides, it was really the least I could do-" she shuffled her feet slightly memories of the previous night swarming her-"You know, after last night."

Strong arms surrounded her and lifted her off the ground for a second as Zuko hugged her.

Setting her back on the floor, he leaned down until their eyes were level.

"Katara, I promise we'll deal with Lakkin, and everything will be alright. He's already coming here, right? We can-"

Katara made a noise in the back of her throat, and cut him off.

"Nothing can happen that jeopardises this peace. If that means I use this conference to determine whether or not he is working in his own, then so be it."

Zuko began to argue, "But you still have his necklace, He can still hurt you-"

"I know, but I'm willing to wait until I'm positive that there won't be any consequences for my-for the nations. And Zuko?" she prodded, needing to make one point clear, "I want your help, I will probably need your help, but I won't let you do this for me."

"What do you-"

"I won't sit back and let you do all my fighting for me. I may have not put up much of a struggle before this, but if there is a way, I will and I'm going to find a way."

She finished, then stared at Zuko as he threw his head back and laughed.

"Oh Katara," he wheezed out once he could speak, "It never- I wouldn't- It hadn't crossed my mind to exclude you from this. I mean, I have seen you fight. And I know you, there's no holding you back if you think you can do something to help. Your passionate about your ideals, it's one of the things I like about you. But," and here he leaned forward to grasp her shoulder, "I want to help you. I _know _I can help you."

He looked so sincere, confident too. Zuko always seemed to know the exact limit of his strength, his powers, his endurance. If he was offering his help, he must be sure of himself.

And Katara was pretty sure that she would need his help, for if she went through with this-this retaliation, she would need to make sure that there were no repercussions. That she wasn't responsible for any more problems-there were plenty enough without her adding to them.

"I'd like your help," she said finally, then amended herself, "I need your help, Zuko. This situation is going to be difficult."

"I know," he agreed, letting go of her shoulder- a warm handprint lingered there- and starting to pace, "I'm trying to think of a good way to go about this. Lakkin is coming to the conference, you said?"

"Yes, and I think he'll be here today."

"Then, if we can find a reason to arrest him-"

"Zuko! He's arriving with a Western Tribe delegation, and this is a peaceful conference. How would it look if you arrested another nation's representative as soon as he landed?"

The predatory gleam that had crept into Zuko's eyes slid away, leaving the man looking rather crestfallen.

"I know," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "But a guy can dream, can't he? Lakkin out of the way-check. Conference over with no political turmoil-check. And then..."

He grinned at her from his pacing, a sly quirk of his mouth that confirmed everything her gran-gran had told her as a child in the South Pole- "Firebenders are dangerous, Katara. Stay away from them. They are never up to any good, and they'll burn you to a crisp without a second thought."

Only, Gran-gran had probably never been kissed by a firebender. This was a whole different kind of heat.

Shaking her head, she focused on something she had to make clear to him.

"Zuko?"

"Mmhmm," he said, walking towards her slowly.

"You can't tell-"

"My lord?"

A voice broke off Katara's words. Someone was knocking on Zuko's door.

They both jumped, like little kids caught with their hand in the seal jerky jar.

Clearing his throat, Zuko called out, "Yes, I'm here. What is it?"

"Sir, the Welcoming Party has started to leave. Will you be joining them?"

A rather crude expletive left Zuko's mouth, then "Yes, I'm coming, right away. Have them hold a carriage for me."

"Very good, sir."

"I have to go," stated Zuko, striding to the door, "If you wait a few minutes, you should be able to leave without creating a fuss."

"Alright, but Zuko-" he started opening the door- "You can't tell anyone about this, not Aang, not Toph, and definitely not Sokka. If you help me with this, we're going to do it quietly."

He stood there awhile, the light from the hall casting him into shadow. She couldn't see his face at all.

"Sounds good to me," he said finally, "Reminds me of-"

"Yes. It does, doesn't it..."

He nodded once, then added, "Remember to wait a few minutes."  
"I will. I'll see you later?"

"There's a big dinner tonight, for all the representatives."

"Then I'll see you then."

Zuko nodded again, " I really have to go now, but-

He was cut off by her quick dash over to him. Without pausing she threw herself on him, with enough force to make his strong frame stagger.

She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you, Zuko," she mumbled, trying to infuse her feelings into the words. It was a bit difficult, considering the flood of emotions welling up within her. She just ended up sounding muffled.

Zuko brought his arms around her briefly, pulling her out of the doorway.

Looking up, Katara stretched onto her tiptoes, and kissed him quickly, just a warm brush of skin against skin.

Zuko's eyes widened, and he leaned down towards her-

"My lord?"

They both jumped apart, and Katara was very thankful that Zuko had moved them out of sight as the servant reiterated "The Welcoming Party?"

Zuko sighed, straightened his shoulders, and with one backwards glance to her, left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Katara stood still a second, then flopped herself onto one of the cushions on the floor. That same faint spiced-smoke scent rose off the fabric.

Rolling onto her belly, Katara propped her chin on her hand, and started counting.

Zuko had said she should wait a few minutes... and she saw the reasoning behind that.

The Water Tribes had always been conservative when it came to relationships. Arranged marriages were no longer common, and people of the opposite gender were allowed to touch (Katara had been shocked to uncover a scroll that detailed the traditions of the tribes hundreds of years ago: Woman weren't allowed in the company of men unless it was their husband, their father or a male family member. Permission could be granted to see the other gender, but only in the company of the aforementioned men. Some brides didn't see their grooms until the wedding ceremony) but spending the night in the rooms of a young man _not_ of her family would definitely create a mess.

Why even Sokka sometimes-

_Sokka!_

Katara scrambled to her feet, and was through the door in a heartbeat.

If Sokka barged into her rooms this morning, intent on dragging her out to see the arriving representatives, he would find her room empty, her bed unslept in.

He would lose his mind.

She ran faster and prayed Sokka had chosen to sleep in this morning.

_He probably didn't,_ she thought as she skidded around a corner, her hair flying behind her, _He probably thinks he should check in on my this morning, because we didn't see each other much yesterday._

Sokka wasn't always the most attentive brother, but he managed to become so at the most inopportune moments.

There! The last corner before her hallway.

Katara bolted around the corner and was halfway to her room when her feet skidded to a stop.

Exiting through her doors, looking like a rainstorm had washed away his chocolate custard, was Sokka. He started making wild gestures to a surprised looking Suki when he caught sight of her.

Brows snapping together, he marched towards her, one hand on his hip, the other pointing at her, finger extended. He looked so like her father that Katara gulped, and her stomach flipped.

This was going to be bad.


	15. Chapter 15

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Hello all! "Welcome to Thursday night of my life"- my favourite art prof **_**always **_**starts class off with that phrase… "Welcome to (fill in the blank) of your life"-what a lovely way to put it:)**

**Anyway, news flash for this update:**

_**I have a Beta!**_

**So, many thanks to JonathanByers11 who has graciously complied to being my beta, and has agreed to muddle through my updates before they reach all of you!**

**I'm happy to answer any questions, and I adore new reviews…**

**Bonsoir!**

Aang was shaving the last strip of stubble off his head when the screams started.

Actually, he decided, they were more like the shrieks of a howler-turkey.

He checked himself in the mirror, grabbed his towel, and scrubbed at his newly smooth head as he headed for his door. Throwing a loose shirt on, Aang opened the door to his room, poking his head out to assess the situation before entering it.

Sokka was the source of the noise. The man was planted in the middle of the hall, his face a shade of red previously unseen by the Avatar. His mouth was open, and Aang realised with a start that the sounds coming from his mouth were actually words.

Suki was by his side, trying to speak in between Sokka's shouts, and she seemed quite distressed. Aang reasoned that Suki had probably never seen Sokka in such a state -afterall, he had traveled with the Water Tribesman for over a year and had never witnessed such an outburst.

Standing opposite of Sokka, her arms crossed over her chest, and armed with an impassive mask of a face, was Katara.

Squinting in the early morning sun, which bled down from the skylight in sheets of pale gold, Aang noted that Katara was wearing the same clothes she had been in the day before.

Why would-

He glanced back at Sokka, who was stationed in front of Katara's partially opened door.

Oh.

The implications hit him, leaving Aang squirming uncomfortably.

It wasn't his place to judge Katara, as Sokka so obviously felt it was his. Still, Aang felt a wave of unease.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I COME INTO YOUR ROOMS AND THERE'S NO ONE THERE IT'S DARK THE BED STILL MADE FROM YESTERDAY! DO YOU KNOW WHAT- WHERE IS YOUR- WHERE WERE YOU?"

Katara didn't even flinch under the barrage of yells aimed at her.

"Sokka, dear-"

"LEAVE THIS TO ME SUKI. WHEN DAD HEARS ABOUT THIS- ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME? YOU BETTER BE 'CAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT SENDING YOU HOME ON THE NEXT SHIP."

Aang watched as Katara finally moved, shifting her weight and saying quietly, "Sokka, you're over reacting. I can explain-"

"YOU BETTER EXPLAIN! TO ME, TO SUKI, TO AANG"- Funny. Aang hadn't thought Sokka had noted his presence yet- "TO LAKKIN! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL LAKKIN, HUH?"

Sokka seemed to have decided he had asked the right question, because he took and deep breath, crossed his arms in a comically similar stance to Katara's, and waited.

Aang tiptoed forward, eager to hear her explanation.

"And good morning to you to, brother," the Waterbender muttered.

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

He was really quite surprised that Sokka's voice hadn't given out yet, the yells had been going on for some time now...

"I said good morning, Sokka. And Suki," seeing Aang for the first time, she blinked and said, "Hello, Aang. I wonder what brought you out here."

He grinned.

"What, no sweet greeting for me, Sugar Queen?"

His heart leaping into his chest, Aang spun to see Toph making her way toward them.

He'd long ago discovered that Toph in the morning was a beautiful thing. Today was no different.

Black hair wisping around her face, and clothes slightly rumpled, Aang held the opinion that Toph was most herself right after waking up. Maybe it was that she couldn't maintain her usual, carefully constructed walls when she was asleep, and so upon waking she didn't have time to guard herself against the world. Or maybe it was the fact that her face was still flushed and her eyes bright.

He didn't truly care about the why, Aang just appreciated the result.

"Hi, Toph. I see Sokka's wake up call was effective," he grinned.

"Is that what it was? It felt more like a small earthquake to me."

Sokka growled, making Aang raise his eyebrows at the older man. He was really quite upset.

"As I was trying to say," Katara said, narrowing her eyes at the shorter earthbender, "Good morning everyone. As you may have noticed, via Sokka's tantrum-" "IT WASN'T A TANTRUM!" "-I didn't return to my roms after our day in the capitol yesterday."

"WE KNOW THIS BUT-"

Really, Aang thought, this is getting out of hand.

Arranging his features in his most wise look, Aang stepped forward, cutting off Sokka with a flick of his hand. He could do that as the avatar-the bearer of hundreds of years of wisdom within his well-built frame. That, or the small gust of air he had just bent at Sokka had shut him up effectively.

But Aang prefered to think it was the wisdom apparent on his noble features, not the mouthful of air.

Clearing his throat, Aang said "Let Katara explain, Sokka."

Throwing a thankful glance his way, Katara continued.

"As I was saying, I didn't come back to my roms last night. I ended up walking around with Zuko for most of the afternoon, and then coming back with him."

Sokka's eyes narrowed.

"And then we walked around in the garden, came inside because of the rain, and he invited me to have some tea in his rooms."

Sokka hissed, "In his rooms?"

Aang was suddenly very glad he had no siblings. The effort an older brother had to make in order to fulfill his brotherly duties seemed exhausting. And, he had recently discovered that being in a relationship held that same sort of responsibility- it wasn't his fault that he'd had to punch that idiot who had called Toph a "stupid little blind girl"-the thought of younger siblings made Aang shudder. Especially sisters.

"Yes, in his rooms, Sokka. We talked for awhile, had our tea, and I fell asleep."

Katara's eyes flicked towards Toph for just a second, then centered back on her brother. Curious, Aang looked over to Toph as well, who was standing still, her head tilted slightly to the side, as is listening for something.

"Zuko decided not to wake me up, but instead let me sleep on his floor for the night. I just woke up, Sokka, and here I am, apparently an open target for anyone who wishes to practice their yelling skills."

"THAT'S NOT THE-" Sokka caught himself, helped by a nudge from Suki, and lowered his voice, "That's not the point, Katara-"

"Then what is the point?" She demanded, making Aang start. Katara's eyes were flashing and it seemed she had given up on passivity. The Waterbender's hands were fisted by her sides, and Aang took a compulsive step back; Katara looked ready to fight.

Sokka must have realised that he had made Katara angry- something to avoid at all costs- and made a soothing gesture with his hands.

"I only meant," he said in placating tones, eyeing Katara's hands nervously, "That we are representing our Tribe, starting today. Everything we do will be observed and measured."

When had Sokka started worrying about politics?

Scrutinising his old friend, Aang noted changes he had looked over before; Sokka's face was leaner, the lines harder. The boy he had known years ago had seemed a little unsure of himself, uncomfortable in his growing body. Sokka now propelled himself with purpose wherever he went, walking with an air of dignity. Not that the Water Tribesman was always the most graceful of men, but he no longer moved about like a spastic lemur-monkey.

He wondered when that had happened.

Sokka was still speaking, "We have to put our best front forward. The Water Tribe could suffer from any miss-steps, mistakes we make in the next few weeks."

Aang found himself nodding. He knew what it was like to live in a world of politics, a place where anything you said could be twisted to suit another's purpose.

After the war, Aang had travelled between the nations, trying to play mediator and emissary for all. It was only after he had fallen ill, and Katara had ordered him to step back from his travels that he had realised that the nations could take care of themselves, at least up to a certain point. He found that his presence eased interactions between the newly at peace countries, but that he wasn't needed for the everyday, minute details that had started to drag on him.

Katara sighed softly, and then relaxed her hands.

"I understand, Sokka. I know what is expected of me, and I appreciate your concern for me."

Aang thought Katara looked rather weary as she turned towards her bedroom door. Perhaps Sokka noted the same thing, for he said in a much gentler voice than he had used the entire morning "I was worried, Katara-" and Aang decided it was time for him to leave as Sokka moved forward to hug his sibling.

"Let's get breakfast," Aang whispered to Toph, grabbing her small hand and pulling her away from the family as Sokka started to say "You worry me sometimes, you know that?"

The brother and sister could work out their problems without his help.

Turning his full attention to Toph, he found her muttering "It was just starting to get gooey. I'm surprised you didn't want to stay and call for a group hug, Twinkletoes."

"It wasn't needed, and spending time with you is far more interesting."

"I don't know," Toph said as they walked at a comfortable pace through the palace, "There were a whole lot of indications that a lot of things were being left out..."

He'd long since become accustomed to Toph's strange talent of detecting truths and emotions in those around her, even though that talent had proved embarrassing once he realised his feelings for the young woman.

"I think Katara omitted quite a bit from her explanation of last night, and I've noticed that she's been really tense this past week. Somethings bothering her."

"Maybe she's nervous about the conference," Aang offered, "Or she could be thinking about the wedding. Doesn't that usually make girls nervous?"

Toph scoffed, "And boys too. I couldn't handle being around either Sokka or Suki last year, especially if they were in the same room. So much anxiety for a little ceremony."

"A little ceremony that represents a lifelong commitment," he amended, wondering if Toph really felt so cavalierly about marriage, "It really isn't surprising that they were nervous. It's a big deal."

"I know, I know," Toph murmured as they entered the dining room, "I just hate people making fusses over things that should be simple."

They seated themselves at the table, in their usual spot. Aang wasn't sure if the others had noticed, but he had discovered almost immediately that the room where they took their casual meals remained the exact same everyday; the cushions were placed the same way every morning, the breakfast dishes arranged in the same manner day after day.

Zuko had made accommodations for his blind friend.

Not that Toph wasn't capable of maneuvering her way through a meal, but the continuity made meal times smoother, and more relaxing.

Aang had been surprised to discover that Toph was very self-conscious about the way she ate. She disliked having to ask people to serve her or explain to her what she was about to eat- her strange way of seeing couldn't distinguish between different dishes, just locations of dishware.

The care Zuko had taken to prepare for his friends visit made Aang appreciate his friend all the more- quite the feat, considering that the Avatar considered the Fire Lord to be one of his best friends.

They ate in silence, broken occasionally by fractured conversation. Another thing Aang loved about Toph was that she never felt the need to constantly chatter. They could sit for hours without talking, and never once would he feel awkward or that he should fill the quiet.

Aang could just be a guy with Toph, for she didn't want to spend time with the "Bridge Between Our World And The Spirit World". She wanted to spend time with him, the 17 year old Airbender who still liked penguin sledding, and who would rather send an afternoon washing his flying bison than advising the Earth King on trade laws.

With a sigh, Toph leaned back from the table, propping herself up on the backs of her elbows and turning her sightless eyes towards him.

"And so it begins."

"Hmmm?" Aang had just been contemplating the pastry on his plate, specifically wondering if it contained meat.

"Our vacation is over, and the circus begins."

"You mean the conference."

It wasn't really a question, but the Earthbender scoffed and said, "Of course. It's going to be a long couple of weeks. I'm sure everyone has an agenda, and won't be satisfied until it's been heard and addressed."

"Probably," Aang said, wincing a little at her blunt-but accurate- way of putting things, "But I think that this will be good for the Nations, all being represented in the same place, and talking through ideas and issues-"

"And arguing over miniscule details and trying to be the biggest, and better nation."

Toph had a point.

"Come on," he said, refusing to linger over the thought of self-serving politicians and instead rising to his feet, " I think there's a formal welcome dinner tonight, and Zuko's asked me to make a small speech before the meal."

Toph groaned around the small smile that had formed on her face.

"So that means you want to practice on me for the whole day?"

She rose, and he followed her as they left the room.

"Hey! You don't have to speak in front of a roomful of really important people, maintaining your image as the current host of generations of wise leaders and warriors. I think I deserve a little help."

"Yeah, yeah."

Toph sounded annoyed, but Aang had long since found that she actually enjoyed helping him with speeches. She offered enough criticism to better his work, and encouragement to soothe her suggestions.

They were walking by the side entrance-where they had first entered the palace at the beginning of their stay- when Toph said "There are some people over there."

Looking in the direction she was pointing, towards the door, Aang saw a group of around 20 people, standing close to each other, watching as one man spoke with a palace servant.

The man was young, well-built and standing tall, drawing the eye more than the people behind him. They were mostly males, dressed in formal robes of muted greys, greens and blues.

The man in front had dark brown hair, and from the distance they were at, Aang thought he looked familiar.

Changing direction, he led Toph nearer to the group, eyes on the young man who was speaking animatedly with the servant.

"I know we're early," the Avatar heard him say, "But we decided to spend the night in the capitol, and going back down to the docks to officially arrive seemed ridiculous. If you could just lead us to our rooms..."

Even his voice sounded familiar, a smooth tenor that hung pleasantly in Aang's ears.

The servant was saying "I'm sorry for the trouble, but we weren't expecting you until later this afternoon. I'll have your rooms checked for readiness, then I'd be happy to take you to them, though it might take awhile"

The young man's handsome features tightened momentarily, then smoothed into a charming grin as he spotted Aang and Toph around the shoulders of the harried looking man he had been talking to.

"Aang! Toph! It's good to see you again."

Aang refrained from slapping his forehead in annoyance. He really should have recognized him before now, despite the fact that he hadn't seen the man in quite some time.

Toph stiffened slightly beside him as Aang called out a cheery "Hello, Lakkin! It's good to see you too."


	16. Chapter 16

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Here's another update!**

**And I'm loving the enthusiastic calls for updates:) However, I am pretty busy this summer, so I can't update everyday. **_**(Gosh, don't I wish…) **_**BUT! I will try to update every week. **

**You can all thank my beta, JonathanByers11 once more- he's doing a fantastic job of keeping me on track, and being my second pair of eyes!**

**Review, ask any questions, leave positive criticism…**

**Later!**

Zuko was hot.

It was a rather remarkable thing for the firebender-he'd always been able to control his body temperature with ease. However, today, with the mob of important politicians and important representatives and important relations to all the important people of the nations, Zuko was sweating in the robe he used for important occasions.

With a sigh of relief, he watched the group of Earth Kingdom politicians get into the carriages that were waiting to take them to the palace.

It had been a long morning.

Zuko had originally intended to keep this conference small, a gathering of the most influential leaders who helped run their nations, but unfortunately, the event had spiraled into what it was today. A mess.

Truly, Zuko amended, eyeing the nobles and advisors that had accompanied him down to the greeting tent by the port, it could have been much worse. The Earth Kingdom had sent the most people. Zuko had discovered one noble had brought along most of his household - and he had needed an entire ship.

Representatives came from Kyoshi Island and the Foggy Swamp Tribe as well, but they were smaller in number. A ship from the North Pole had come, carrying the nephew of their chief- Zuko couldn't recall the man's name- and a bevy of Waterbending masters.

A few nobles from the Fire Nation had trickled in too, mostly from the outer islands.

Tallying up his guests, Zuko frowned. They were still missing the-

"My lord?"

Zuko turned to find Mashi wringing his hands, and sporting a harried look. His uncle's old friend seemed to be just as uncomfortable as Zuko felt. His thick grey hair was slightly damp, sticking to the older man's head.

"I've just checked with the list of those who said they would be coming, and we-we are missing one group."

Missing an entire group of people?

Zuko raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you lose them on their way to the carriages, Mashi?"

"No, sir, they haven't arrived, and it's really quite surprising. They were quite adamant about coming in the first place, and they live so close..."

Zuko felt his stomach drop and his temperature rise as he realised who Mashi was speaking about.

"The Western Tribe isn't here yet?"

"They haven't docked today-"

"Then where are they?"

Mashi's face fell at Zuko's loud tones, and the young man felt guilt instantly. It wasn't the advisor's fault that Zuko was overly warm, that he had been standing all morning, or that the one group of people he had been itching to see... Er, rather, the one man Zuko had been aching to strangle- were missing.

Zuko cleared his throat and asked in a far quieter tone, "Do you have any idea where they are, Mashi? I'd like to leave the port sooner than later."

He also wanted to get the Lakkin situation handled as soon as possible, which could only happen if the man was around for Zuko to-

"I haven't heard anything about their whereabouts, my Lord, but I believe you have done your duty for the morning. I will remain awhile longer, to ensure that if they do arrive late they have a proper greeting."

Zuko could've kissed the man.

He had a meeting to attend with his nobles in the afternoon-another chance to pitch a few ideas before he presented them to the nations- and then a sliver of time in which to get ready for the formal dinner. The chance to leave the port now was something to be leapt at, and so, profusely thanking Mashi and the few other advisors that remained, Zuko exited the large red tent with nobles and advisors trailing behind him, like turtle ducks waddling after their mother.

He'd just managed to ride to the palace alone, practically commandeering a Fire Rhino-drawn carriage. He also managed to keep his tone calm, but he told the groom in no uncertain terms that he wanted to get back as soon as possible.

He needed to tell Katara that the Western Tribe hadn't arrived.

He wanted to see her again.

As the carriage pulled alongside the side entrance to the palace, Zuko leapt out, swinging his heavy robes to the side.

Due to the conference, a pair of guards were now stationed on each side of the door, standing at attention. As he approached, one man jumped forward and opened the door for Zuko, allowing the Fire Lord to breeze through the doorway.

While Zuko didn't always feel comfortable with the comforts afforded him, he had to acknowledge that sometimes it was nice to not have to open his door. To his palace.

Sometimes.

The hall was silent but for the hurried footsteps of a lone maid, who staggered slightly under the weight of the clean linens she carried toward the guest wing.

He stood for a moment, then, making up his mind, Zuko turned and walked towards the west wing, towards Katara's room.

He had to tell her that Lakkin hadn't arrived, that the Western Tribe's representatives weren't in the capitol yet. The morning hadn't been particularily productive in formulating a way to solve the problem at hand, what with Zuko's time being consumed by endless greetings. However, Zuko refused to let the matter be until it was convenient for him to work on it. He was not going to be forced to choose between centering his attention on the conference and the nations represented therein, or Katara and the weight she carried, the threat she faced.

He would not choose. He could manage each situation, balance his energy between them-despite the fact that one problem clamoured for his full attention.

Zuko knew his duty; he was the Fire Lord, and his nation needed his leadership, and his people relied on him to guide them through these uncharted waters of peace.

He turned the corner into Katara's hall. Her door was cracked open, and there looked to be-

"Zuko!"

With a start, he spun around and watched as Sokka leaned out of his door, a scowl on his face. Why did the man look so angry...and at him?

"Explain last night," the Water Tribesman demanded, stepping out into the hall and planting his hands on his hips.

"Last night?"

Sokka's frown deepened into a scowl.

"Last night. You know? When my sister spent the night in your room?"

Right. That last night.

"Umm." He needed to think of an explanation.

"Umm?" Sokka repeated, disbelief crossing his face as he advanced toward Zuko, "Is that the best you can do?"

"Well, Sokka, it was-I mean, Katara was-"

"I know," the other man sad, making Zuko freeze in surprise.

She had told him?

Katara had just asked him this morning not to tell Sokka about Lakkin. Why would she-

"Katara said that she fell asleep in your room after the long day, and I can understand that. She's been tired lately."

So Sokka had noticed that as well. Zuko waited as he continued.

"But what I want to know is this; why did you let her spend the night, Zuko? You know better than anyone the importance of a person's reputation in politics. If anyone finds out about last night-" Zuko made a noise in protest- "And yes, I'm not saying anything happened- if it had, you wouldn't be standing right now -but if anyone finds out, then Katara will suffer."

Sokka's threat was sly and subtle, but Zuko felt its implications fully.

Katara's brother was not going to let anything hurt her.

At that moment, Zuko wanted nothing more than to tell Sokka everything Katara had told him the night before. The warrior was formidable at best, despite his strange character. If riled up to protect those he loved, Sokka was a force to be reckoned with.

But Zuko had promised Katara to keep her secret to himself, and he would honor that.

"I know, Sokka," he finally answered, "I simply wasn't thinking. I wasn't trying to harm Katara's standing at this conference. I just wanted to let her rest."

Sokka glared at him for a moment, then nodded.

A stress Zuko hadn't realised was resting in his shoulders loosened.

"Speaking of your sister, is she in her rooms?"

Sokka squinted at him, then said, "I think she went off a little while ago. She said something about a garden..."

His mother's garden. She seemed to like that place a lot.

"Thanks, Sokka, I need to speak with her."

Zuko spun on his heel and started walking down the hall when Sokka called out "You better hurry if you want her undivided attention."

He spun again, and watched as the man shrugged.

"The Western Tribe showed up this morning, and Lakkin was just here, asking where Katara was. I told him to find a servant to direct him to the-"

Zuko didn't hear the rest. He was already racing down the hall, robes flapping behind him.

././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././.

"Ouch!"

Katara's eyes flew open as something nipped at her fingers, which had been trailing slowly in the chilly water of the pond.

The garden had been silent but for the soothing gurgle of the water until Katara had exclaimed.

Looking down, she found a strange looking creature staring up at her.

Despite her stinging finger, she made a sound of delight as she realised she was facing a turtleduck.

Katara had only ever read about the water-loving animals, and now seeing the creature in person, she wanted to scoop it up and see if its downy feathers were as soft as they looked.

Her finger warned against that though, and so she contented herself to watch the turtleduck paddle its way away from her and toward a clump of tall reeds at the other end of the pond.

Katara sighed and leaned back against the willow she sat beneath.

After Sokka's... little drama in the hall this morning, she had excused herself from Sokka and Suki, escaping into her rooms. There, she bathed quickly, and-with help from the insistent Mina- had dressed in one of her finer gowns.

Fingering the material now, Katara was glad that it was lightweight for the day was already quite warm, and that the dark blue linen wouldn't expose the fact that she had spent the morning sitting on dewy grass, and playing with pond water.

Looking good was half the battle with politics. Even the stout old men that always seemed to be present at such conferences as these dressed their-ahem-bountiful stomachs with finery.

Katara let her eyes slide shut again.

This was her chance to get some quiet before the evening ahead of them.

There was the official welcome dinner, which would probably be packed with all the families of the representatives, and whoever else had been deemed worthy to tag along. And then, if Mina's gossip could be trusted, there was to be a fireworks show, followed by dancing.

Her head throbbed in anticipation of the long evening.

Pushing aside thoughts of the night to come, Katara let her mind wander, enjoying the feel of the shade dappled sun across her skin, and the sweet smell of a foreign blossom in the air.

She hadn't realised she had dozed until she jerked awake.

Someone was in the garden.

Katara stiffened, then relaxed.

Zuko was the only one she had ever seen in this little treasure of a courtyard- if gardeners maintained it, they did so with utmost discretion.

The crunch of grass below his feet alerted Katara to his presence as he came up behind her. Tilting her head back and squinting as a sun beam blinded her, she grinned in greeting as he bent closer, his face shadowed.

"Hello, darling."

Katara's smile slide disappeared as Lakkin's face came into focus.

He was here.

In the garden.

With her.

Not that she hadn't been warned of his coming, but he was actually-

"What? No warm welcome for me?"

He hadn't changed at all. His light voice slid over her skin, raising chilling goosebumps despite the heat. His eyes met hers, cool amusement shining out from their dark blue depths. He was as clean shaven as ever, his flawless tanned skin settled over a bone structure that called to be touched.

She had used to love touching his face, his cheeks.

Now all she wanted to do was scramble away from him.

Lakkin eased himself down to sit next to her, ignoring how Katara leaned away from contact with his folded legs.

"Nice place, this." He said amiably, examining the garden while settling back against the willow. Katara straightened her back off the rough bark, not willing to be connected in even that way.

"Come now, Katara, is this anyway to greet your betrothed?"

"Hello, Lakkin."

Her voice sounded cold, even to her.

"That's a little better," he said, angling an arm around her stiff shoulders and pulling her close to him, "But not very welcoming, or even that convincing."

She wanted to get away. She couldn't stand his touch.

"Now, when I think about seeing my fiance after an extended absence, I imagine her giving me a warmer greeting than this."

He leaned closer, his subtle scent of spiced soap reaching her nose.

"How about a kiss?"

Her eyes widened as one hand rose up to tilt her face towards his with a firm grip. Just as she felt the slight huff of his warm breath against her face, she jerked her head out of his hand, forcing Lakkin to plant a kiss on her cheek.

It burned.

"Welcome to the Fire Nation, Lakkin. When did you arrive? I thought you would be coming in with the other representatives."

There. At least her voice sounded calm.

Lakkin shifted back a little, and grinned, a stunning twist of his lips.

"We came in yesterday, but spent the night in the capitol. I wanted to see how this nation fares under its new leadership. Where it seems...weak."

Weak?

"And what did you find?" She asked, keeping her tone light.

He grunted softly, "Not much."

A wave of pride washed over her, pride for Zuko. He was running his nation well, anyone could see that. But to hear Lakkin say it, Lakkin who had often sneered at the Fire Nation, it made Katara glad.

"But enough of that," Lakkin said, his tone almost jovial, "Tell me your news."

Katara looked at him blankly.

He grinned, flashing even white teeth, "Why shouldn't I be interested in what you've been up to lately, darling? You are, after all, my dearest fiance. It's only natural that I take an interest in what you do."

He leaned in again to ask softly, "You wouldn't want anyone thinking we were anything but utterly blissful about our upcoming marriage, right?"

Oh, how she hated him.

Katara longed to leap to her feet and call the water in the pond to her, to attack Lakkin with all her strength, to wash his smirk off his handsome face.

But she couldn't. Not while her Tribe was still threatened by the same silky danger that was wound around her neck. And even if she could figure out a way to clear the strange material from her city, alerting anyone to Lakkin's actions and intents would be asking for war.

If Sokka or- Tui and La forbid- her father discovered what Lakkin had done, what he was, they would attack first, ask questions later. It was their way.

And attacking the Western Tribe would be outrageous. The last time one of the Water Tribes had fought the other, it resulted in decades of discord and the need for oceans and oceans of distance to be put between the two. And the Northern and Southern Tribes were only resolving their differences now, centuries later.

And Lakkin's old threat still hung in her mind. He had said that his people were familiar with bloodbending. The thought of that bending, brought up against her tribe-her family was enough to make Katara endure whatever she had to, until she could see this resolved peacefully.

"Right, Katara?" He prodded again.

"Of course not, Lakkin." She murmured, clenching her fists within the folds of her skirt.

Zuko had promised to help. She had to remember that.

She needed his help.

"Wonderful," Lakkin breathed out, a beatific smile gracing his lean face, "Now, how about a real kiss?"

Her flesh crawled as he leaned toward her, hooded eyes watching her. she felt his breath once more against her face, and she determinedly kept her eyes on his. He was a hairs breadth away-

"Katara?"

With a start, Lakkin jumped back from her as Katara's heart leapt.

"I'm over here, Zuko," she called in a surprisingly steady voice, "Under the willow."

"I was just checking-" Zuko's sentence broke off as he saw that Katara wasn't alone.

She stood up, ignoring the slight twinging of her knees and said, "Zuko, meet Lakkin. My fiance. Lakkin, this is Firelord Zuko my...friend."

Lakkin stood up in one smooth motion, facing the other man.

They were the same height, Katara noted as the two men inspected each other. She wondered what they saw.

Lakkin was the first to incline his head, making none of the usual, respectful hand gestures that were required in a situation such as this.

"Firelord Zuko. I have heard much about you. It is good to meet you in person."

Zuko's brows furrowed a second, then smoothed as he replied, "And I have have heard much about you, Lakkin of the Western Water Tribe. May I officially welcome you to my home."

Lakkin, upon hearing that Zuko had heard of him, threw a quick glance towards Katara, who kept her features calm.

Then, face breaking into a devastatingly charming grin, Lakkin slid an arm around Katara's shoulder and said merrily, "I must thank you for hosting Katara and her friends here for these past days. She recently told me how much she missed her old friends. It means a lot to see her so happily reunited with her childhood companions."

Katara couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Lakkin seemed to be pushing it a little far. She was pretty sure she didn't look happy.

He squeezed her shoulders quickly, and hard.

Katara cleared her throat, and forced a smile out.

"Yes. It has been a lovely vacation, Zuko. It'll be hard to immerse myself in the conference after all this leisure time."

Lakkin's arm remained around her as he exclaimed, "That's right! Isn't there a formal dinner tonight?"

Zuko nodded once, his face unreadable.

"You must have a lot to do to prepare for such an event."

"I wouldn't say that-" Zuko was cut off as Lakkin swung towards the exit of the garden.

"We won't keep you from your duties, Firelord. I'm looking forward to tonight, though. I'm sure it will be a remarkable event."

Katara tried to dig her heels into the grass as Lakkin steered her out of the garden.

Throwing a quick look over her shoulder, she saw Zuko standing still, his fist clenched by his side.

As their eyes met, she tried to convey her need for secrecy, to remind him of his promise for silence.

With a small tug, Lakkin pulled her out of the door, obstructing her view of Zuko.

As they walked in silence down the hall, Lakkin's grip tightened, but Katara's mind was fixed on her last sight of Zuko; standing straight, shoulders strong, and a haze of smoke wisping around his tight fists.


	17. Chapter 17

**aelisabethchilds:**

**Hey guys! It's been a little more than a week, but I finally have another update for y'all! **

**Enjoy, and I hope to hear from you in way of reviews or such…**

**Until next update,**

**Yours truly!**

Katara kept her face smooth as she and Lakkin rounded the corner to her bedroom hall, and were spotted by Suki and Toph. The two woman were standing close and speaking in hushed tones but they broke apart and smiled brightly at them as they neared. Well, Suki smiled at them, Toph grinned in their general direction, her eyes plastered above Katara's left shoulder.

"We were just talking about you two!" Suki said cheerfully, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Yup," Toph agreed, "We were wondering whether or not you'd be holed up somewhere, kissing like-"

"Toph!" Suki's face turned a bright shade of pink as she amended, "We were just saying that you haven't seen each other for so long it must be nice to be together again."

Thinking of the almost-kiss that had almost-happened in the garden minutes before, Katara held back a shudder.

Lakkin laughed loudly, "No, we weren't holed up somewhere. I actually had to go searching for Katara- she had hid herself away in a little garden tucked back in the palace. I almost got lost trying to find her."

Lakkin's hand around her shoulder tightened quickly, and Katara took that as her cue to add something to his explanation.

She plastered a smile over her face, and said, "He surprised me! I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw him."

Katara was careful to speak the truth. Toph's uncanny ability to know when a person was lying made her wary- if Toph felt something was off, she might go to Aang, and if Aang found out about this whole...situation, he would most likely make huge commotion about it.

So, as Toph tilted her head towards Katara, the waterbender concentrated on leveling out the heartbeat ringing in her ears, and keeping her face relaxed for Suki.

Suki asked Lakkin how the Western Tribe was faring, and he let go of Katara's shoulder to start telling the woman about the recent fishing party that had gone out and returned with a rare elephant-koi.

Katara stiffened as Toph ambled over to her side, and said quietly, "What's going on, Sweetness?"

"Nothing's going- I mean, what do you mean?" Katara hissed back, her heartbeat picking up again.

"Well, it's like your heart's going on a roller coaster; first it was racing, then it slowed and now-" the blind woman paused, while Katara tried to control her body, "Now, it's acting all funny. Is there something going on?"

She glanced over at Lakkin, who had just coaxed a laugh out of Suki.

"There it goes again."

She was _so _glad Toph couldn't see her face, the grimace that flashed across her features.

"I'm just looking at Lakkin, Toph. I haven't seen him in so long, and he is my fiance, right?" Katara kept her voice light.

"I know that," muttered the younger girl, "But you're acting strange, Katara. And earlier, when Aang first said hello to Lakkin-"

"Are you telling Katara about our arrival?"

Lakkin and Suki had joined them, the four of them making a loose circle in the center of the hall.

"Yes," Katara said, cutting off whatever Toph had been about to say, "I know you've mentioned it to me briefly, but why didn't you arrive at the docks?"

She asked the question sweetly, but she was desperate to cause the man some level of discomfort. His early arrival and its true intent were unprincipled.

Katara took pleasure in seeing Lakkin's eyes flash in annoyance at her before he explained, "My party and I decided to come a day early, and to spend our extra time in the capitol. I've only been here a few times, and the opportunity to see how the Fire Nation has changed was too tempting to pass up."

Suki smiled, "It is really incredible what Zuko has been able to do in only 5 years. Everything was such a mess after the war; The returning soldiers were having trouble finding work, the nobles all in an uproar and the Fire Sages unsure of their loyalty. And now, we see this-" Suki spread her arms to gesture to the sun-flooded hallway, which was saturated with the smells of warm wood and some kind of exotic bloom- "this prosperity. Zuko has done well."

Katara felt a suffusion of warm pride flood through her bones. Suki was right- Zuko had done an amazing job with his nation, far surpassing the careless attention his father and grandfather had given to the nation, choosing instead to focus on their war.

"I can see that," Lakkin murmured, glancing at his surroundings.

Toph shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her sightless gaze fixed in Lakkin's direction.

The man noted Toph's stare, and grinned in her direction.

"Tell me, Toph, what have you enjoyed most during your stay here?"

A few deep lines appeared around Toph's mouth before she answered in sweet, almost childish tones "Well, my favourite was when Zuko brought us into the Capitol for the Fire Lily Festival. All the lanterns, and flowers and beautiful costumes-" she clasped her hands in front of her chest, and grinned soppishly- "There was so much to see."

Suki stared at the earthbender, her mouth hanging open slightly, and so Katara was sure she was the only one to see Lakkin's jaw clench, and his eyes flash. The man didn't like being teased at all.

But, with a little shake of his head, Lakkin smiled broadly, and gently shoved at Toph's shoulder.

"You almost had me, Toph," he said congenially, "Try a little harder next time, and it might just work."

Suki laughed, and Toph smiled grudgingly, allowing herself to be charmed by the older man.

It was enough to make Katara gag.

Had she been so gullible before Lakkin had shown his true character? Had she really fallen for his smooth charm and ready smiles?

With a loud creak, Suki and Sokka's bedroom door swung open, and Sokka swaggered out. The warrior was dressed in the new clothes they had bought in the Capitol-more appropriate for the warm climate- but it was still styled in the traditional watertribe fashion.

Sokka was wrapped in a light blue, sleeveless tunic, which fell to just above his knees. Underneath that he wore dark gray trousers, tucked into a pair of soft leather boots. The edges of the his tunic had intricate embroidery stitched into it, most likely done by Suki who had a strange fondness for the fancy stitching, despite her fierce warrior countenance.

"So," Sokka drawled out, strutting over to their cluster, "How do I look?"

"Great." Toph deadpanned.

"Reall-Aw, come _on_, Toph. Is that the only blind trick you know?"

The earthbender drew herself up to full height, which was still shorter than Katara's average length, and puffed out her chest, "Yet it still works, and is a great deal funnier than many of your sad jokes."

Sokka's mouth opened angrily, but before he could talk back, Suki cut in, saying "You do look quite handsome, Sokka. I'm sure you'll impress all the other representatives tonight."

Suki continued to soothe Sokka's ruffled pride, as Lakkin leaned over and firmly gripped Katara's elbow.

"Let's walk to my room," he said quietly, as Sokka gestured to the boots on his feet, saying something about how much they had cost, "You brother likes to talk about his clothes too much for my liking."

She stiffened at this remark, but allowed the man to pull her away from her family, offering a slight smile as an apology as they walked away. Katara could feel Toph's blind gaze on her back as they retreated.

Lakkin kept a firm grasp on her arm as he steered their way through the palace halls.

_He_ seemed to have no problem maneuvering among the twisting halls and large doors.

With a slight pull, he turned them into a hallway lined with ornate doors, much like the one she was staying in.

A few men in watertribe colours stood about, talking in hushed voices. Katara noted that they all had the hard faces and conditioned bodies of warriors-even the men with grey and white hair.

Lakkin came to a stop in front of a grand doorway, embellished with carved dragons crawling up and down its frames.

"These are my rooms," he said, pushing the door open, "You may come in for awhile."

While he offered it as a suggestion, his tight grip told Katara he meant it as an order.

She nodded slowly, noting with relief that he left the two doors wide open; anyone could look in and see the two of them.

Lakkin's rooms were even more lavish than her own, with heavy gold paint spiraling along the walls in fantastical designs, and heavy luxurious velvet curtains framing the high windows. Katara followed the tall man as he walked to his large bed, which dominated the room, and watched as Lakkin sat down on the cushion, sinking into the soft looking surface.

"Sit."

She hesitated for a moment, and in that second, Lakkin made an odd twist with his left hand.

The ribbon around her neck began to tighten, and with a shuddering gasp for air, Katara eased herself onto the bed, just out of arm's reach from her fiance.

The pressure broke off, and Katara reached up to rub her smarting throat, while Lakkin smirked slightly, scooting closer to her.

"Maybe I'll tell you the story behind that necklace someday," he murmured, lifting a hand to brush at the ribbon-Katara hid a shudder- "It's quite the tale."

She really didn't care about the story behind the strange white necklace-all she cared about were the things it helped to force her to do, to say, to perform. And the threat the material held over her people. If she could figure out a way to-

Lakkin interrupted her thoughts, "But that's for a later time. I wanted to talk to you about this conference."

She glanced up at his face.

Lakkin looked relaxed, his jaw loose, his eyes lidded and his brows smooth. Katara was struck by how truly handsome he was at that moment. He rivaled any other male she had ever known for good looks.

The fact that she knew his true character didn't deter from his outward beauty- she had long discarded the theory that the outside appearance reflected the inner person- instead, it made Katara wary of people who seemed too perfect, too comely.

" I realise that you are here representing your tribe, Katara, but I need to remind you that you will soon be joining my tribe. My people will be yours. This means that you should be aware of how your actions and words at this conference affect your future tribe."

Lakkin's voice was silky smooth as he leaned towards her, his breath brushing her ear.

"If there is anything I feel is important to the well-being of my people, I expect you will follow my instructions on how to act accordingly. Is that understood?"

Katara nodded slowly as she controlled the part of her that wanted to leap off the bed and scream at Lakkin.

She would find a way to tear the necklace off, she would find a way to rid her tribe of this threat, and she would NOT allow herself to be bound to this sad excuse for a man.

But she had to wait. She had to do these things in such a way as to not harm anyone else.

"Good." Lakkin said, leaning away from her, "Now, you may go. I have to speak to the other men of my tribe before this evening's activities, and I expect we shall need some time to smooth over some questions and concerns."

Lakkin stood, and strode over to a desk in the corner of his room, effectively dismissing Katara.

Shooting a poisoned glare at his back, Katara stood as well, and walked out of the room, leaving the doors open as she left.

She glanced back at the hallway as she turned the corner that led away from the Western Tribes's rooms; The men that had been standing in the hall were slipping into Lakkin's rooms.

She caught the eye of one of the white haired men just before her view was cut off. The man looked serious, with a strange set to his face.

Katara made her way back to her own rooms, making use of the map Zuko had drawn for her; she had never been to that particular part of the palace before, and so decided that she would rather admit her inability to navigate than wind up wandering the halls well into the night.

She bumped into someone as se was tudying the map, trying to figure out where her next left turn was.

Looking up, Katara found Aang grinning down at her.

"A little lost, are we?" the boy asked, whisking the map out of her hands.

"I'm not lost," Katara retorted, scrunching up her face as she looked up at the avatar, "I had a perfectly functioning map until just a second ago."

Aang laughed, and turned the map to the side, "I dunno. How do you read all this tiny handwriting? Is this why you're always late to dinner?"  
Katara grinned at him; If anyone could cheer her up, it was Aang. He always seemed to have a cheerful word, or ready smile.

"I'm only ever late for dinner because I feel the need to dress up for it," She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "The Avatar usually attends, and I want to make a good impression on him. I'm planning to use his skills to start a thriving business, bottling pure Avatar Air and sending it to all corners of the world."

"Avatar Air? Wha tdoes it do, make the user start glowing and bending all the elements?"

"Nope. It gives the user a sense of perpetual well-being and light-heartedness, along with a heady sense of self-importance and-"

"HEY!"

Katara laughed at Aang's expression. The young man looked to be utterly outraged, although his laughing eyes dispelled any notion of true anger.

Aang reached out and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Allow me to escort you to-" He looked at the map once more- "Wherever you are going. I'm sure you can convince the Avatar to fund your new company along the way."

Grinning, Katara let herself be led away, saying "I think I want to take a nap before this evening. Would you please guide me to my bedchambers,?"

"But of course."

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Katara wove her way through the packed room, avoiding eye contact with a few Earth Kingdom nobles as she made her way towards Sokka and Suki.

Sokka was still dressed as he had been earlier that day, and Suki had changed into a stunning gown of dark green. With her hair pulled up in an intricate knot, and a light dusting of mineral makeup upon her cheeks, the Kyoshi warrior made Katara feel underdressed and frumpy, despite the fact that Mina had assured her that she looked beyond lovely before the maid had shooed her out of her bedroom.

"There you are!" Sokka exclaimed as he turned to see her approaching them, "I was just asking Suki where you had gone."

Katara smiled, and said " I just got back from dancing with Aang- he tried to convince me to let him airbend us while we danced-" Suki's eyes widened "But I didn't let him. It would have been a little too much for this crowd."

She made an encompassing motion, gesturing to the mass of people that were milling around the huge room.

A haze of perfume hung above the entire place, its smell overpowering, mixing in with the scents of the dinner they had just finished.

Everywhere she looked, Katara saw politicians, nobles, and their families, dancing, and chatting in the lamp lit room. The noise was incredible; she could hardly hear the strains of the orchestra that was playing in the near corner.

"Aang was dancing?" Sokka asked, craning his neck to look for the dance floor, "I thought we would have heard something about it by now if he had; you know, Lady Fong over there should be tittering and gossiping about how ridiculous the boy looks when he dances."

Sokka pointed out an Earth Kingdom noble, a woman whose large frame was draped in ridiculously elaborate folds of stiff silk.. Lady Fong was notorious for her love of gossip, and keen observational skills.

"She was talking with Toph while we danced," Katara offered, feeling only a little bit sorry for the older woman; Toph had a way of making most nobles and politicians feel acutely uncomfortable.

A low sigh alerted Katara to the presence of someone behind her, and she whirled around as Suki and Sokka said "hello"s to Zuko.

He was dressed in his finest, and Katara blinked as she took in his appearance.

Zuko in formal robes was rather intimidating. His long, deep red over-robe was open, revealing a gold tunic with eye-catching embroidery at the high collar. Black trousers were tucked into the finest pair of boots Katara had ever seen-_ how had they polished the to such a shine? _If she looked closely, she swore she could see her reflection-

"Ahem."

Katara looked up from Zuko's boots to find the Firelord grinning at her.

"Are they really that interesting?"

She chuckled quietly, "I've never seen a shinier pair in all my life."

Sokka and his wife listened to this exchange, and then Suki leaned over and whispered something in her husband's ear.

Sokka turned cabbage-beet red, then cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse us? Suki just wanted to- talk to me about something. Not here. In our roo-"

The water tribesmen was cut off as Suki pulled at his wrist, dragging him towards the doors that led out of the ballroom.

Zuko and Katara stared at the couple as they retreated, then glanced at each other. Both amber and blue eyes were wide, then Zuko started to laugh softly, and Katara joined in.

"I don't know" she gasped out between giggles, "Why he always feels the need to announce" Zuko let out a ringing laugh "What they're planning to do."

They were receiving funny stares.

With a grin, Zuko started to weave his way through the crowd, while Katara trailed behind him, holding back her giggles as the firelord nodded regally to whomever caught his eye.

Suddenly, they were outside.

Zuko had walked out through a pair of tall glass doors, many of which dotted the huge room, and onto a rounded balcony.

The noise of the party seemed very far away.

"That's much better, "Zuko murmured, reaching up to scratch his head underneath the gold hairpiece he wore, "That din was starting to drive me crazy."

Katara smiled as she made her way over to the rail, and leaned over. They were right above the public gardens, and she could spot a few people making their way throughout the lamp lit paths.

"The smell was starting to get to me," she said, watching as a couple joined hands below her, "So many perfumes in one place is a bad idea. My head was beginning to ache."

Zuko settled next to her, letting his long legs slope out in front of his body, facing the window.

They stayed that way for awhile, listening to the muted sounds of the party and basking in the rich smells of the night before Zuko said quietly, "I just talked to Lakkin, inside."

Katara stiffened, unwilling to let the absent man spoil the moment she had been enjoying.

"He seems charming," Zuko added, turning to look at her.

"He does seem that way, doesn't he?" She hissed out, her relaxed limbs tightening as if preparing for a duel.

"Hey," Zuko said, spreading his hands out, "I only meant that he makes me feel uncomfortable with his charm. I wouldn't have liked him even if you hadn't told me about what he's doing."

Katara felt a knot in her chest loosen as relief poured through her; Zuko had seen past Lakkin's easy smile and handsome face. He believed her story.

"And his party of tribesmen makes me uncomfortable as well. I may have someone...look after them while they are in the Fire Nation."

"That would be wise," Katara agreed, "I don't like the feel of them. They seem a little-hardened for simple politicians and tribesmen."

Zuko murmured his assent, and they lapsed back into silence. Katara's gaze on the gardens below, and her companions gaze on Katara.

Suddenly, Zuko straightened. Katara glanced up at him as he grabbed a hold of her hands, and said "This is my favourite song. Dance with me?"

Straining her ears, she could barely make out the tune from inside the ballroom.

"Zuko, I can hardly hear anythin-"

She was silenced by the sound of the Firelord humming deep in his throat, a raspy, rather tuneless sound, but with an identifiable beat.

Katara let Zuko place her hand on his shoulder and arms, and start to swing her around the balcony.

It was a very different dance from the one Lakkin had demanded earlier that evening. The other man had been confident and smooth during the dance, relentlessly leading Katara around the ballroom with fancy twirls and embellishments to the traditional dance. She had been acutely uncomfortable with his large hands at her waist.

This dance was much better.

They stumbled a little in the dark; her slippered foot catching his boot a few times. They didn't glide across the floor, but rather spun in slow tracks, letting the velvet night wash over them. Katara eventually leaned her head against Zuko's chest, listening to the sound of his steady heartbeat, and feeling his warmth creep into her cheek.

With a soft sigh, the orchestra ended the song, and Zuko ceased his humming.

Katara drew away from Zuko reluctantly, savoring the last wisp of his warmth before night wind whisked it away.

"Thank you for the dance," he said, reaching up to straighten his askew hairpiece.

"Here, let me," Katara said, shooing his hand away and securing the gold flame back into his hair.

He smiled at her a moment, then his face grew serious as he examined her.

"You look tired, Katara, Perhaps you should go to bed?"

She couldn't help but grin, "And you accuse me of sounding like your uncle?"

"Hush!" Zuko hissed, "He's here somewhere, and if you mention his name, he's sure to turn up."

Despite his warning tones, Zuko was smiling.

"I'll be sure to remember that," Katara said, "And I think I will go to bed soon, but... I'll just stay out here a little while longer before braving the crowds."

Nodding in understanding, Zuko started to walk towards the door.

He paused just before entering the ballroom, spun around and strode back over to her side.

Katara looked up at his in curiosity, just as he closed the distance between their two faces and kissed her.

She reveled in the feel of his mouth against hers, his lips slighty chapped and dry. Lifting her arms up, she gripped his shoulders, trying to pull him closer to her.

With a sigh, Zuko leaned back, his warm breath washing over her skin.

She blinked and stared up at him.

"Goodnight, Katara," he whispered, "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight" was all she managed to reply with before he left, his robe sweeping behind him.

Katara stayed out on the balcony for a long time, staring at the dark sky and humming the tuneless melody of the dance she had just had.


	18. Chapter 18

**aelisabethchilds: **

**Hello all! I'm back, with a fresh new update, and a hankering to know what you think! **

**And a favour to ask as well;**

**If this is your first time reading "S n' S", (on or after July 1****st****, 2014) I'd really appreciate it if you would leave me a review, telling me so and maybe saying how you found it. I'm just a little curious about how people have discovered my fic :)**

**Until next chapter!**

"I hate this."

Suki watched as Sokka flopped heavily on their large bed. They had just escaped from a morning of meetings with other representatives. It had not gone well.

The nobles and politicians from the Earth Kingdom were trying to convince the other nations that they should be exempt from trading taxes; they claimed that they had suffered the most in the past hundred years, that they deserved a chance to make a complete profit.

For Sokka and Suki, representing the Water Tribe, this was out of the question. As much as the Earth Kingdom had suffered in the war, so too had the Water Tribes.

Sokka, along the few spokespeople of the Northern Tribe, had tried to reason with the other nation; The Water Tribe people were building a new nation, a united people, and they needed the income from trading taxes.

Despite their reasonings, the Earth Kingdom's politicians remained firm in their convictions.

Suki had tried to keep calm through the whole morning, but near the end of the meeting she had lost her temper and spoken harshly to Lord Fong, causing the entire retinue of Earth Kingdom people to raise their overly dressed hackles and become even more stubborn. Zuko had called the meeting to a close, saying that it would be best for them to reconvene in a few days- when tempers had cooled.

"I know," Suki said, sitting down next to her husband, "I'm not sure if I can take another few weeks like this past one."

She sank into the soft mattress, reaching up to pull her hair out of its high bun; it was starting to giver her a headache.

Sokka reached up from his recline on the bed to play with the feathery tips of her waves. Suki had reluctantly agreed to grow it out at Sokka's insistence, not really caring about the length but rather the effort she had to exert to keep it neat. As it began to grow longer, she decided that she really didn't mind long hair, for Sokka was fascinated by it. He was always twisting his fingers in it, and trying to braid it.

He gave it a playful tug, and Suki eased onto her back beside him.

"Hey" Sokka whispered, turning his face towards hers.

"Hey" Suki replied, grinning as Sokka's nose brushed hers.

It was ridiculous, their way of asking how the other was, but it worked for them. Not long after they had married, Sokka had gotten into an argument with her- it had been about something absurdly insignificant, she couldn't even name it now, but at the time it had been big enough to create a rift between the newlyweds. When they had finally apologised, Sokka had walked into their small home and interrupted Suki's nap, waking her up with a soft "hey".

With that one word, he had expressed so much- his guilt, his tired-out anger, how he had missed talking to her during their fight- and Suki had only been able to reply with a "hey" of her own.

And so it had become their way of asking how the other was, or trying to express how much they loved one another.

It was silly, just a simple word, but it still made Suki's heart jump whenever Sokka said it.

She squirmed a little closer to her husband, deciding that the almost uncomfortable heat of their two bodies together was worth being close.

"You did well today, Sokka, even though those Earth Kingdom nobles were being idiots."

"Thanks. I was tempted to bring out Boomerang and give a couple of those pompous rocks a few bumps."

She giggled at the thought of Sokka flinging his boomerang at Lord Fong; He probably would've knocked the noble's wig off in the process.

Sokka grinned in a rather grim way.

"I shouldn't daydream about those things. One of these meetings I might actually act on them, and then I'll be in trouble. The Water Tribe will be a representative short, and Katara would kill me for making a fool of myself in front of all these nations."

"Oh, I don't think she'd kill you, just freeze your... well, I think she'd just yell at you, really."

Suki couldn't imagine the two siblings ever actually harming one another; they loved each other too much, in their way. Sokka and Katara weren't always the most expressive in their affection for one another, but they were quick to defend each other and fast to forgive.

"Suki?"

"What?"

"Have you noticed anything... off about Katara lately? I mean, I know she's been busy with the meetings, and even before this conference she was working on the Tribes joining ceremony and her wedding, but she's been very- oh, I don't know- tense these past few days. Or something..."

Suki watched her husband. Sokka's mouth was a firm, straight line, and his brows were low.

Reaching up to smooth a stray strand of hair back from his cheek, she thought about her sister-in-law.

Katara had been busy the past week. She had participated in all the meetings Suki had attended, and even the ones the Kyoshi warrior had skipped. Suki hadn't been paying too much attention to Katara during those meetings- she had been focusing on the politicians- but she had to agree: Katara had been acting just a little strange recently.

"Well, she has been working hard, Sokka. She might just need a break from all these meetings."

"I thought about that. I even told her to skip a couple of them, but she insisted that she had to attend."

Suki sighed, and let her eyes slide shut. She was tired too. It took a lot out of a person, maneuvering through controversial topics with nobles and politician who had grown up knowing how to twist words and manipulate others into doing what they wanted.

"Would you like me to talk to her?" She offered.

Sokka turned to his side and grinned at her, making her heart twist in a familiar manner.

"Would you? I've already tried to see what's wrong, but maybe it's a girl thing. About the wedding or something?"

Suki had the feeling that Sokka had been hoping for this offer, watching his face light up. He must've been trying to avoid talking about "girl things" with his sister, despite his worry for her; there were certain topic areas that Sokka wouldn't venture into, even for his sister.

"Yeah, I'll talk to her later today."

Sokka smiled even wider, leaning in and kissing her on her forehead.

"Is that all the thanks I get?"

Her husband's eyes flashed as he tilted his head and kissed her.

Thoroughly.

It was quite some time later that Suki breathlessly murmured "Well then, you're quite welcome."

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"And after tonight's dinner, Mei Lyn was hoping that you would grant her and the rest of her family a private audience. I believe she wants to discuss her accommodations."

Zuko frowned, rubbing his aching forehead as he and Mashi walked away from a quick meeting with his advisors. They had assessed the progress that had been made in the past week- which hadn't been much- and finalised the schedule for the next week's meetings.

"Tell Mei Lyn that any concerns she has about her accommodations can be directed to the head of my staff-" Mashi grinned as Zuko added- "Poor Juni, I think he's due for a raise. This week has been a hard one for him, I'm sure."

Zuko had managed to pass off all complaints about food and lodging onto Juni, the man who was responsible for keeping the palace running smoothly.

And there had been quite a few. He had overheard Earth Kingdom representatives whining about the heat, and even the Foggy Swamp men commenting about the lack of bendable vines- not that Zuko could do much about either of those issues.

He had found barely a moment for himself over the past days, and what time he did have was filled with trying to catch up on sleep, avoiding a good majority of his guests, and worrying about Katara.

He hadn't been able to talk to her at all. She was at all of the meetings, all of the dinners, but whenever Zuko tried to to catch a few moments with her, Lakkin appeared- as if he could read Zuko's thoughts- and made discussing the ...situation impossible. ( Although, Zuko was sure Lakkin couldn't read his thoughts, for if he could, the water bender would have either challenged him outright or fled. Zuko's opinion of the man was so low that whenever he saw him a red haze settled over his eyes, and the vilest ways of disposing of the other man popped into his head, unbidden.)

He and Mashi were making their way towards Zuko's rooms. He had about an hour of free time until dinner. Zuko had refused to have an official dinner every night-the thought of sitting through the small talk and stiff conversations was too much to bear-and so he had decided to host two large dinners each week. Zuko figured that keeping the representatives mostly separated during their time out of meetings was wise; The Earth Kingdom diplomats had the ability to make anyone they talked to annoyed and some of the Kyoshi representatives were short-tempered.

As they walked around a corner, almost to Zuko' hall, a soft voice tentatively called out "Lord Mashi?"

The two men pivoted at once, to find a petite woman making her way toward them.

Zuko wracked his memory, try to place the middle aged woman's delicate features to a name. He came up blank, and nudged Mashi.

"Lady Taun Lou," Mashi murmured, bowing low, while Zuko nodded at the lady, "What can I do for you, this fine afternoon?"

Mashi had affected a smooth, chivalrous manner, moving forward to tuck Taun Lou's arm by his side. Zuko could only grin wryly as the man maneuvered the lady away, looking back at to mouth to the Firelord "Run. She's vicious."

Lady Taun Lou, Zuko remembered as he made his escape, was a Fire Nation Noblewoman from the outer islands. Her name had come up in the beginning of Zuko's reign, in connection with the nobles who still supported Ozai.

Feeling a rush of affection and gratitude to his faithful advisor, he continued towards his rooms, humming to himself; He had time to take a nap.

"Katara, wait. I wanted to talk to you."

Zuko froze as he passed a slightly ajar door. He backtracked, and tilted his head to get a view into the well-lit library.

Suki and Katara stood in the room, the Kyoshi warrior's hand on Katara's wrist.

"I was talking to Sokka a little while ago-" Suki began, but Katara cut in, saying coldly "Really? I can't imagine why. After a year of marriage, I'd think you'd have exhausted every topic of conversation between the two of you."

Zuko's eyes widened, and Suki drew back from the waterbender, hurt flashing across her face.

Katara's face remained an emotionless mask for only a second more, then her features crumpled, and she extended her arms to Suki.

"I'm sorry, Suki," she said lowly, grasping at the older woman's hands, "I'm not feeling well today-I have a headache- and my temper's being affected."

He watched as Suki hugged Katara quickly, then said "It's alright. I'm not feeling myself either, not with all these meetings."

Zuko knew he was eavesdropping, but he couldn't help but continue to watch as the two woman settled themselves onto a pair of large, scarlet cushions on the floor, their backs to him.

"Sokka and I were talking, and he mentioned that you've been acting a little...off lately."

Katara shrugged lightly.

"He wanted me to check if there was anything troubling you. He thinks it might be the wedding..." Suki trailed off as she studied her companion's face. Zuko wished he could see Katara's expression as well; his view of the two women's backs wasn't very telling.

The waterbender shrugged again, and then answered "I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"Such as?"

"These meetings have been draining, and before them we had only a week to catch up with the old gang. I guess this setting, and the people here have made me a little nostalgic."

Suki scooted closer to Katara, and Zuko poked his head in further.

"And the wedding?"

Silence reigned for a few moments, then Katara murmured "Yes, that too. I hadn't seen Lakkin for such a long time. And he's been talking about the wedding a lot lately. It's just...gotten me to thinking."

Suki prodded "Is there something the matter with that? Is everything okay with you two?"

Zuko felt his entire body tense.

_Come on, Katara. Just tell her! You told me, and that wasn't that bad. Just tell her._

With another shrug, Katara shook her head.

"I'm just tired, that's all."

Suki studied Katara for sometime, who was busy playing with something in her lap.

With a slight shake of her head, the older woman stood, and held out a hand to Katara.

"No thanks," she said, "I think I'll just stay here awhile. I just saw a book I wanted to read."

Suki nodded, then said quietly, looking down at Katara's bent head, "If there is something the matter, you can come talk to me anytime. You know that right?"

"I know."

Zuko darted to the side, and around a tall vase as Suki exited the library. He realised that if anyone came from the other direction they would find the firelord crouched behind a large piece of pottery, but he really didn't care. He would rather Suki not know he had heard that conversation.

Once the woman had walked out of sight, he stood up, straightened his slighlty crumpled robes out with a shake, and knocked on the library doors.

Katara started from her seat on the floor, head whipping around to reveal wide eyes, rimmed with dark smudges.

"Zuko!" she exclaimed, making a move to rise from her cushion.

"No, stay," he said softly, moving to the cushion Suki had just vacated, and sinking down to sit next to her.

She really did look a little off. Even disregarding the circles below her eyes, Katara's face was...tense looking. Her mouth was drawn in a firm line, and there were faint lines framing in. Her eyelids looked a bit irritated, and the way she was sitting looked thoroughly uncomfortable. She was sitting very...carefully, her shoulders held a little high, and her back ramrod straight.

However, as Zuko settled down next to her, he held back a sound of surprise as the woman nearly collapsed into him, scooting her cushion right next to his, and leaning against his shoulder heavily.

Zuko felt his brows shoot up, and he was sure his mouth was hanging open.

"Katara...?" He queried, looking down at her.

"Sorry, Zuko, I'm just tired."

She sure looked it.

"Don't let Uncle see you," he said in an attempt to tease a smile out of Katara, "He would order you back to your rooms, and probably play Guard outside your door."

She looked up at him, a question in her gaze.

"He wouldn't let you out until you had slept three whole days, and had at least 5 pots of soothing herbal tea."

Katara smiled gently.

"I almost wouldn't mind that," she said, "I could use some extra sleep."

"Have you not been sleeping?"

Suddenly, his impersonation of Iroh became very real. Maybe he could convince her to take a day or two off, or-

"I've been sleeping," Katara scoffed, nudging Zuko, "It's just that I have trouble falling asleep. And my days are pretty long, with all these meetings and socialising with the other representatives."

"Mine too," he said, knowing full well that he was also low on sleep.

They sat like that for awhile, Katara leaning on his shoulder and Zuko watching her in his peripheral vision. Her lids fluttered a few times, and she blinked slowly before her eyes closed.

Zuko sighed and sat sill. He truly didn't mind being Katara's pillow. He was relishing the chance to be close to her, even if she was dozing.

But, he also wanted to talk to her. He had been mulling over Lakkin, and what could be done about the problem.

Zuko's gaze dropped to the pale necklace that hung around Katara's neck. If he hadn't seen it in action, he never would've suspected the delicate looking piece of being able to create such pain.

Carefully reaching up, he touched the white ribbon.

It was cold.

He drew his hand back quickly, now staring outright at the necklace. Why was it-

With a jerk, Katara straightened, her eyes flying open.

She rubbed her eyes quickly, and grinned sheepishly at Zuko.

"Sorry about that. I'm probably boring you."

"Nah, you're tired, it's alright. But, Katara," he added, seeing why Suki and Sokka were worried about their sister as he looked at her drawn face once more, "We really need to figure out what to do about Lakkin."

Any drowsiness fled Katara's face as a look of poisoned dislike crossed her features. Zuko suppressed a shiver; He could remember when she had looked at him that way, 5 years ago when he joined their ragtag group and started to train Aang. It had been bad enough back then, when he hadn't really felt anything much for the young waterbender besides what any other male might appreciate about a pretty young girl. And now, having her friendship- and the tantalising promise of possibly _more_ hanging in the air- the thought of Katara aiming such a hate at him made Zuko shudder.

"I know," she said, in an almost velvety voice, "I've been thinking about it this whole week."

She reached up to touch her necklace, in the same spot Zuko had just touched it.

"Has he been... bothering you at all?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, I think he feels like he doesn't need to hurt me that way, since he's here to watch me."

A low growl slipped out of his throat, and Katara glanced up at him quickly.

"I think," he stated, "That you should have told Suki what was the matter. And Sokka, and Aang and Toph. They need to know, Katara. They can help-"

He hadn't even finished before she jumped to her feet, glaring down at him.

"Where you listening in just now, Zuko? And how could you say that?" She whispered harshly, eyes glittering, "You know what will happen if they find out."

"They'll help, Katara. We can stop-"

"They wouldn't _stop_ anything. They'd _start_ a civil war between my tribe and the Western Tribe! I will _not _be the cause of that. I am just one girl, we are talking about an entire people, Zuko. I thought you understood-"

And suddenly, Zuko was on his feet as well, as angry as the woman in front of him, his inner fire flaring up with his rage.

"I understand," He hissed, cutting her off, "I understand perfectly. You are allowing yourself to be pushed around by this bully, and you're hiding behind the excuse of peace and your tribe in order to avoid conflict."

Katara's face had whitened, but he couldn't stop. He had to release the flood of anger that had been building up inside of him, and Katara had just given him the perfect opportunity, a convenient target.

"You've grown soft, Katara, sitting around the South Pole, fussing over things like a grandma. Where is the Avatar's waterbending master? Where is the woman who led the Invasion on the Day of Black Sun? Are you so-"

With a sharp jab of her arms, Katara emptied the myriad of vases that dotted the library, leaving the bouquets of flowers dry as she bent a huge wall of water at him.

It caught him open mouthed, and swept him into the hall, knocking Zuko against the large doors on his way out.

He stood, robes waterlogged, and hair dripping out of its bun as he watched Katara stalk out towards him, face hard set.

"Katara-" he began, then choked as another wave hit him, making him stagger against it.

That was it.

If she wanted to fight, then he would fight.

Ignoring anything Uncle had ever said to him about using rage as fuel, Zuko attacked, pushing off the far hallway wall and launching himself at Katara.

He shot his first forward, and sent two fire discs flying just above her hair.

The waterbender eyes narrowed as she raised her hands, and formed a long ice sword in each. She ignored his second attack, a low slinging rope of fire that he had meant to trip her with, and jumping over it, vaulted herself at him, swinging wildly with her weapons.

Zuko had barely a moment to react, but bring his fists up, he bent fire-daggers, and with a mad punch, slivered off the top of one of Katara's blades.

Then the other hit him in the thigh, making Zuko curse aloud.

Katara kept swinging at him, and Zuko endured, melting a little, slicing a bit more off her ice swords. She was too busy jabbing at him to notice how short they were becoming, and so when Katara made one more thrust towards his stomach, Zuko stopped bending, and grabbed her hands.

She stilled instantly.

Zuko lowered her wrists slightly, but still held on as they both breathed heavily. Katara was staring blindly over his left shoulder, her whole torso heaving, while he stood in shock, trying to catch his breath.

_Why had he said those things? _He had made her mad enough to attack him!

Zuko hadn't meant what he said- he had only...

"Katara," He said, voice slightly breathless, "I'm-I mean- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those things."

_Why wouldn't she look up at him?_

"I was only frustrated with this whole situation. I'm just trying to help, and nothing I've thought of so far"- and he had thought up a lot of ways to dispose of Lakkin- "Have any real potential-" _well, maybe the idea with the Saber Toothed-moose-lion_\- "And I think that we could really use some help."

She still wasn't meeting his gaze.

Tentatively, Zuko dropped her wrists, and brought a hand up to lift up her chin, to tilt her face towards his.

Her features were completely blank, all but for her eyes.

They glittered with- _was she amused?!_

Suddenly, Katara's mask slipped off, and eyes crinkling, she smiled crookedly.

A knot of tension eased out of his chest as she said, "I'm sorry too, Zuko. What you said sounded so close to true, and I know that- I know that I'm going to have to tell them sometime."

She shrugged, and focused her gaze on his left ear, her smile drooping.

"I just don't want to see their faces, to see their disappointment when I tell them what's happened. It's like you said, I've grown soft, I'm weaker than I should be."

Zuko made a noise of protest- he hadn't really meant those things. He had just been angry, and they had popped out- but Katara held her hand up.

"No, you're right. I do need to tell them. We can work this out, we can figure a way to find out what Lakkin's really after, and how to stop him. Sokka, Suki, Aang and Toph will help. They wouldn't let another war break out."

She stepped away for him, and Zuko watched as Katara began to pace the wet floor, sloshing through the water left over from their impromptu spar.

"Not tonight, though," she stated, splashing Zuko's already soaked boots as she paced, "I know that Aang was meeting with the Foggy Swamp Tribe, and Toph had plans to eat with Iroh-" she nodded conclusively- "I'll tell them tomorrow night, after the formal dinner."

Katara looked back to Zuko, and slowed her pace, stopping in front of him.

"I'm sorry for attacking you," She whispered, reaching up to touch his scarred cheek lightly.

Zuko couldn't remember why he had been so angry with her. Her hand was cool against his skin, and almost tickled, it was so light.

"And I'm sorry for yelling at you, and trying to drown you a little..."

Zuko stared at Katara's lips, which had slowed, and finally stopped moving altogether.

Were they getting closer?

His eyes flew up to her's and he discovered that they had moved much closer than he previously noted.

And then she was kissing him, her arms reaching up to wrap around his shoulders, and her knees bumping against his as she stood on her tiptoes.

She was gentle at first, slowly drifting her lips across his, but then Zuko felt his inner fire flare up, and his arms encircled her, trying to draw her closer.

He deepened the kiss, relishing the small sound Katara made as her lips parted. Her hands came up to tangle in his hair, and he was almost too distracted by the sensation of her fingertips dragging through his hair to fully appreciate the taste of her on his tongue.

Almost.

Zuko closed his eyes, and allowed his world to become centered on touch, smell, taste and sound.

He wanted to feel more of her soft skin, to run his fingers up and down her spine until she gasped against his mouth. He wanted to lose himself in the scent of her hair, which had fallen around them, and was tickling his cheek.

He just stopped a groan from slipping out as he felt Katara's knees buckle minutely.

With a sigh, she slid her lips off his and, resting her forehead against his chin, she breathed in short, shallow bursts.

Zuko took advantage of their position to plant a kiss on her forehead, and inhale the light smell of dewy grass and lavender that he had long associated with the waterbender.

Finally, He broke the silence.

"If that's how you're going to say sorry next time, feel free to get angry with me again. Right now, if you'd like."

Katara glanced up and grinned at him, a blush flooding her cheeks.

"Zuko, I-"

They both froze as the sound of someone whistling drifted towards them.

"Someone's coming!" Zuko hissed out, springing out from the wall where his back had been resting.

"I can hear that," Katara hissed back, drawing together the puddles on the floor, and- after desperately looking around for some place to put the water- bending them into the large vase behind which Zuko had recently hid.

Zuko took in a deep breath, and raise his body temperature, creating a cloud of team that rose of his robes as the water evaporated.

There. Now his robes were dry. No one would notice-

"Your hair!" Katara whispered, motioning to his mop of long, now slightly tangled and loose dark hair.

He reached up to try to sweep it into a bun, but Katara batted his hand away, saying "Just run. There's no way we can fix that now."

"But-"

Katara darted over to the library door, and slipped inside, beofer poking her head out and pointing down the hall.

"Run, Zuko. Whoever it is is coming!"

And they were, The whistles were starting to bounce off the walls.

Picking up his robes, Zuko sprinted down the hall and around the corner,

Katara's quiet laugh ringing in his ears, louder than his thrumming heart.


	19. Chapter 19

**aelisabetchilds:**

**Well- I am **_**so **_**sorry I've taken this long to update. These past two weeks have been crazy at my house. **

**As a form of apology, and to placate all my readers who may have been a little annoyed with the update delay, I'm going to be posting the next chapter **_**really **_**soon! Aa in tonight, or tomorrow. (That's dependant upon my Beta, who, by the way, has been doing a great job of looking over my work and reminding me to be a responsible fanfic author and post updates once in a while. He's got that next update now, so it's all on you, Jonathan!)**

Don't you just love shoving your responsibilities onto other people?

**So, yeah. Comment, share with all your other Zutara fans. **

**AND HAPPY ZUTARA WEEK!**

**My tumblr dashboard has exploded…**

**And I'm thrilled.**

Katara woke up to the sound of Mina moving about the room. With blurry eyes, she noted that the maid looked like she was trying to be silent, but Katara had slept poorly and the rustling interrupted her light doze.

She sighed lightly, and pushed herself up, letting the light sheet she had slept under fall from her shoulders.

"Good morning," Mina said cheerily, catching Katara's eye as she bent down to pick up the dress Katara had thrown aside the night before, "Did you sleep well?"

Katara murmured a polite 'yes" despite her poor night's rest, and slipped out of her bed. Well, she waded out of bed; Katara had become quickly annoyed with the size of her bed. It was too large to be of any real convenience. If she wanted to go to bed, then she had to struggle through the covers towards the center of the bed, and the pile of pillows there. And when she tried to leave, the sheets seemed to restrain her, trying to pull her back beneath the crimson waves of silky cotton.

Finally free of the monstrosity, Katara made her way to the bathroom, trying to stay out of Mina's way; the woman was hurrying about, whisking away little things that Katara hadn't managed to take care of, like her crumpled underthings and her mismatched stockings. her last glimpse of Mina before she rounded the bathroom corner was of the maid sweeping up a pair of leather slippers Katara had worn two nights ago.

She intended to have a quick bath, but the cool water convinced her to stay much longer than she had anticipated. Katara practiced her bending a little, working on delicate maneuvers. She bent an ice rose into form and concentrated on its details, such as the thorns on its stem and the soft look to its petals.

Finished with the rose, she tried to replicate a Fire Lily, but once she had it in her hand, she let if fall back into shapeless water. Her ice was no match for the vibrant beauty of that bloom- it needed its red vitality.

With a sigh, Katara pushed out of the tub, and bent her skin dry. She paused in front of the long mirror that hung on the bathroom wall, inspecting herself.

Her time in the Fire Nation-away from the hectic life at home- had allowed her to gain back a little weight, softening the sharp edges and adding a few well needed curves; It had been hard to tell in her usual parka, but Katara had noted that she had not looked healthy at the time she left home.

Her hair was still wild, not aided at all by the light humidity. It made the dark waves lean more towards curls and encouraged the locks to act of their own accord. She touched it briefly, and sighed again.

She never remembered her mom having this much trouble with her hair. She recalled her hair being long- not surprising in the Water Tribe, where a woman's hair was a source of pride- long, and very smooth. Her mom used to brush it out before going to bed, and Katara could remember her father running his hands through it, and then having his wife scold him for messing up all her hard work.

It didn't happen as often now, but Katara still missed her mom. And when the missing hit her, it left an empty ache in her chest, and a tightness behind her eyes.

Katara turned from her reflection and slipped on a robe before heading back into the main room to find Mina finished.

"There's someone waiting to see you," the servant announced, motioning towards the door.

_Zuko!_

With a light step, Katara flitted to the door, forgetting she was only dressed in a thin, dark red linen robe, and with a smile she opened it wide.

Her smile slipped off her face, and was replaced with a look of utter surprise.

"Good morning, Katara. Did I interrupt your morning?"

"No, not at all," Katara blushed as she realised what she was wearing, "If you can wait a moment, I'll let you in."

"Of course."

Katara felt mortification spread through her bones-she was in her robe- as she bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, Lady Ursa."

./././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

Toph learned a lot just by walking around.

She knew that Aang was still sleeping as she strolled past his rooms.

Grimacing as she journeyed on past Aang's room, Toph wished for a moment that she hadn't caught onto what Sokka and Suki were doing at that moment, and she practically ran down the hall, away from their room, wishing she could wipe the bottom of her feet clean of _that _mental image.

_Blech._

The Earthbender truly didn't mind physical contact, and when Aang kissed, her her toes curled and her heart sped up to ridiculous speeds.

But she really didn't need to see into other people's love lives.

_Thanks for that, Snoozles._

She turned a corner to avoid a flock of Earth Kingdom ladies, all of whom Toph was acquainted with. They made her headache with their girly talk, and overly sweet tones.

She snickered as she continued past Lady Fong's rooms, and discovered that the woman was shaving-actually shaving- her chin. Why did people place such an emphasis on the way they looked?

Toph left the shaving lady behind, and made her way towards the usual breakfast room; Zuko had offered to let them continue to use it as they wished, and she appreciated not having to wade her way through the various breakfast buffet stations Zuko had ordered set up around the palace.

She wound her way past the bending courtyard and paused.

Zuko was out there, waving his arms and legs around in a most undignified manner- but then again, Toph had a very poor opinion of fire-bending. She couldn't "see" any fire attack, and it left her feeling, well, blind.

Sparky was now huffing about, muttering something she couldn't detect under his breath.

Taking pity on the man, who clearly needed to talk to someone, Toph stepped in slowly, a little wary of stray fireballs.

"Toph!" Zuko exclaimed loudly, as he ceased his erratic movements and walked towards her.

"Hold it right there, Your Sparkiness," Toph said, holding out both her hands in his direction, "I may be blind but my other senses work just as well. Let me just say- by all that grows in the earth you do smell terrible."

She could hear the grin in his voice as he said, "Sorry."

Zuko really did stink, a hot, sweaty and slightly ashy smell that lingered in the air around them.

"How long have you been out here?" She demanded, scrunching up her nose in an attempt to block the smell.

"A few hours or so. I got up early because-"

"I know, I know. 'Firebenders rise with the sun.'"

_Sheesh, how many times had she heard that?_

Toph felt Zuko's heart speed up, and the air around her grow marginally warmer. Zuko was barely holding onto his temper, she realised.

And so, she crossed her legs and sat down in the dirt of the courtyard, pretending that she could see the firebender's eyebrows shoot up and his mouth drop open; it was what all his body's signals were saying he was doing at the moment.

"Well, do you want to talk about it or not?" She said, motioning to the ground next to her.

Zuko stood for a moment more, then with a huff, he sat down across from her, his mass seeming to settle with great weight into the ground.

He didn't speak right away, but she held in her annoyance; Sparky required a special touch, a certain handling- he was prone to firey outbursts…

"I'm just- it's this- I mean, have you noticed-How I am..."

Toph held her hand up, and said "Slowly, start slowly. I don't understand mumbles."

Her companion straightened and began again.

"This conference is driving me crazy. I thought that it would be a good thing, that we could all talk about our goals as nations, and that we could accomplish something together through this. But everybody has their own personal agenda, and they refuse to listen to anybody else's ideas. I mean, take the Earth Kingdom representatives; all they want is to refill their treasuries, and to ensure that they get their "rightful compensations" for the past hundred years of war. Do they think they are the only nation that's suffered from the war? We lost generations of men to the battlefields, and our entire economy was dependant on the demands of the war we created! My advisors and I _slaved_ over plans to boost our infrastructure, and the only thing the Earth Kingdom nobles are fighting for is their opulent lifestyle."

Toph decided not to mention the fact that Zuko lived in a palace that was a maze of grand ballrooms and gilded corridors- after all, the Firelord didn't seem to actually appreciate the finery that surrounded him. She had the sense that Zuko would have been much more comfortable in a small house by the sea.

"And these Western Tribesmen! All they do is sit around and make cryptic remarks, reminding everyone that they are an independent tribe, that they have been granted the islands off the Fire Nation. Why are they even here?!"

Zuko flopped onto his back, creating a puff of dust that rose into the air and obscured Toph's "view" of the man for a second.

"Every time I see Lakkin I want to blast that stupid smirk off his-"

Zuko stilled, his voice trailing off.

Toph grinned widely. She had sensed immediately that the two men didn't like each other. When they stood in the same room, she could practically see their hate for each other.

It was actually quite amusing, and the reason was quite obvious to her.

Toph had long ago noted the attraction between Katara and Zuko. When she had first met Zuko, it had been a light buzz, or faint inkling of something the two benders repressed with their entire beings. Katara had threatened to kill poor Sparky, after all. But then they had gone off on the "Zuko Field Trip" and a friendship had been formed. After that, well, Toph wasn't always around the two of them when they were together, but she always got a kick out their bodies' reaction when the other was brought up in conversation.

Toph had just assumed that Katara had gotten over her crush, and decided to settle in with another hunky bender. However, when they arrived in the Fire Nation just weeks ago, the attraction was still there, and growing.

Now, she was just waiting for Katara to call off her engagement with Lakkin and profess her love for Zuko in a very loud, soppy manner.

That this hadn't happened yet surprised the Earthbender.

Zuko had gotten over his blunder and had continued, "I mean, I'm not overly fond of Lakkin's techniques during the meetings, and I really wouldn't mind if he chose to take a few days off."

_Sure._

"Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"When are you gonna tell Sokka about you and Katara?"

The sound of Zuko's sputtering was well worth the silence she had maintained during the Firelord's ranting.

"I-what do you- TOPH!"

She snickered.

"What do you mean, Toph?" Zuko finally ground out, sitting up in a jerky motion.

"Well, it's obvious that you too are infatuated with each other, " she shrugged ''So when are you gonna tell everybody? I imagine Lakkin won't be very pleased, and Sokka might have a minor heart attack as well, but, in my opinion, it's important to get these kind of things out in the air. Otherwise, they have a nasty habit of creeping up and poisoning whatever good things you have going for you."

Toph sat in the silence, and congratulated herself; she had sounded very much like Iroh just then. Perhaps having dinner with the tea-lover last night had allowed her to soak in some of his amusing wisdom...

Zuko was sitting very still. Toph tilted her head as she listened to his heart, which had slowed down from the angry surprise she had just ignited to an interesting pattern. It sounded as is the Fire Lord was... nervous.

Finally, he took a deep breath in and said very quietly "Toph. I'm going to tell you something that I probably shouldn't- Katara's going to kill me- and I need you to swear, to swear on everything you hold dear, that you will hear me through and not jump to conclusions."

She was _very_ interested now.

Toph nodded, but Zuko continued "I need your word, Toph, that you won't act rashly, or do anything that could make the situation any worse."

A trickle of unease crept into her toes, but Toph nodded once more, and said solemnly "Alright, Zuko. I swear to do as you have asked, and to not do anything rash."

The man let out the breath he had been holding in, and started slowly.

"You mentioned that you noticed Lakkin and I don't like each other, right?"

"Yeah, and..?"

"Well, it's a long story, and I don't think I know it all, but it started three years ago when Lakkin first arrived at the South Pole..."


	20. Chapter 20

**aelisabetchilds:**

**See! I told you I'd update soon. **

**Sheesh. I'm so proud I'm glowing. **

_**reviewreviewreviewreview**_

"Should I call for some tea, Lady Ursa?" Katara asked quietly as she let the tall woman into her rooms. She had changed quickly into a suitably elegant, but simple dress of dark green, but she was hiding her trembling hands in its skirt. Asking about tea calmed her down just a little.

"That would be lovely, dear, but please-" Lady Ursa reached out to touch her shoulder gently- "You can just call me Ursa."

Katara glanced towards Mina, who was standing in a corner by the door, and made a motion for the other woman to approach Katara and Lady- Ursa as they settled down on cushions by her low table.

Mina bustled over and asked "How may I serve you, ladies?"

Ursa smiled as she arranged her skirts and said, "I think a pot of the new orange blossom tea would be good. Iroh brought a whole trunk of it with him from the Jasmine Dragon."

She turned to Katara and continued to explain, "He said that it's the new favourite amongst his customers in Ba Sing Se. His first stock of it ran out within the first few days of it's premier in his shop."

Katara smiled, pleased to be on this subject. Iroh was one of her favourite people; He had even asked her to call him "uncle"- not that she could, because it would be wildly improper. The short, slightly rotund man had a way of making her laugh easily.

"I haven't had a chance to really talk with Iroh yet; I've been so busy, and from what I can see, he is as well. It would be nice to talk with him for awhile."

Ursa chuckled.

"It seems like all we ever do is talk, Iroh and I. The fact that my home is across the street from the Jasmine Dragon doesn't help, either. Iroh is adamant that I come over every day, and drink a cup with him. He says that 'good tea and good company are rare things, and if you ever have the chance to enjoy both of them at the same time, you are twice blessed'"

Katara raised her hand to cover her mouth, but a gurgle of laughter bubbled through anyway; Ursa sounded exactly like Zuko did when she impersonated Iroh- they even affected the same ridiculous pitch and finger-wagging.

Ursa smiled at her, and said amiably, "You know, Zuko wanted me to live here, after the war, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Ba Sing Se for all its walls feels like a much freer place to me than this palace, even now, after all these years."

Katara really didn't know what to say to this. A moment of silence stretched between them before Ursa shrugged and said "But, enough about me. I am curious to hear what you've been up to in the time since we last saw each other. I believe that was last year, right? At Iroh's expansion of the Jasmine Dragon?"

Katara nodded.

"Well," the woman prodded gently, "Certainly things have changed in the past year, right?"

Katara nodded again, and cleared her throat.

"Well, Lady Urs- I mean Ursa, the Southern and Northern Water Tribes have recently joined together, declaring themselves one tribe. It was a long process, I think I told you a little about it last year in Ba Sing Se, when we were still in the middle of the voting process. During the past few months I helped to organise the celebrations. My brother and I weren't actually there for the ceremony, we were here, but I'm sure it was beautifully done."

As she warmed up to the subject, Katara relaxed and started to illustrate her telling with gestures and even a tiny, bent miniature of the new Ceremonial Hall.

Ursa was the perfect audience, asking the right questions and showing complete interest.

After Katara exhausted the Joining, Ursa asked about Suki's martial arts school, Katara's waterbending students, and the general workings of her home city. Ursa also supplied stories about her neighborhood in Ba Sing Se and Iroh's tactics among his customers.

Before she knew it, more than an hour had passed and Ursa stood to excuse herself, Katara standing as well, walking with her to the door.

"Thank you for the tea, Katara, and the company. I enjoyed our time immensely."

"As did I, Ursa. Please feel free to return whenever you can. I'm looking forward to hearing more about Zuko's childhood."

Ursa had thrown in a couple of fascinating stories about the young Zuko, leaving Katara with the feeling that she had caught a tantalising glimpse into the man.

Ursa chuckled, and let herself out the door.

Katara returned to the tea table and busied herself with setting the pot and the cups onto their tray, trying to help Mina a little; the woman had proven to have an almost endless desire to help Katara in whatever way she could, whether that be by suggesting appropriate clothes for the meetings, ordering the occasional breakfast in bed, or cleaning up her rooms.

Absentmindedly, Katara wondered if she could bring Mina back home after the meetings; Gran-gran would love the help. But then she shook her head. It was extremely rare for any watertribe family to have personal servants in the Southern Tribe- there really wasn't a need for such extravagance among her people.

Katara made her way over to the small desk that she had requested to be added to her room, and sat down, enjoying the view it offered from its place in front of the large windows.

It was midmorning, and the sun was already beating down relentlessly. Summers in the Fire Nation hadn't changed from the time she had spend here 5 years ago. The days were hot and humid, and the evenings were often accompanied by thunderstorms, which offered brief escapes from the heat.

A haze shimmered over her view of the capitol, but even though, Katara could make out surging crowds and colorful stands lining its streets.

With a small sigh, she tore her gaze away from the vibrant city, and bent her head over her desk, focusing on the Trade Proposal she and Sokka were going to present at the meeting tomorrow morning. She needed to go over the wording and general proposals before she attempted to make a final copy- something she rather dread. Katara didn't have the neatest calligraphy, it was merely passable. However, Sokka's was worse and so the task fell to her.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Katara raised her head a few hours later, groaning at the knot in her neck, and her back's protest at the change in position.

As she stood up from her desk, and smoothed her now slightly wrinkled dress, Katara decided that an afternoon of bending practice would do her good. She'd done her work for the meetings, and now she was entitled to some time to herself. She definitely needed it- deserved it.

Katara shed the gown she had thrown on for tea with Ursa, and stepped into a pair of cropped, dark green pants. She rummaged around her wardrobe for her favourite linen tunic, a loose light grey colour whose long sleeves offered protection from sunburn, and whose lightweight length lent an air of casual elegance to the comfortable outfit.

She found a pair of low clothe slippers- they only needed to get her to the bending courtyard- and slipped them on as she pulled her hair in a bun, keeping it off her neck. Her finger brushed the smooth clasp to her betrothal necklace, and a spark jumped through her fingertips. She shuddered as she made her way to the door, and out into the hall.

Her hallway was deserted, and Katara didn't see another soul as she walked to the bending courtyard, her feet making shushing noises against the polished marble of the floors.

When she arrived at the courtyard it was empty and silent. Katara stepped out into it, raising her eyebrows at the strange rock formations that seemed to have sprouted since her last visit- which was yesterday night. It had been a brief session, but she had thought it would help her sleep.

It hadn't.

Katara wove her way through the maze of boulders and rocks that littered the courtyard, and decided that, despite the annoyance the terrain was, it would provide a challenge as she bent.

She raised her arms once she had centered herself in the yard, and bent a large wave of water up from the long pool at the side.

She went through a few intricate moves, manipulating the water around in looping circles and thin shields and beads of water, whipping her element around her body.

Focusing her attention on a particularly large rock across the courtyard from her, Katara practiced her water whips, striking the rock time after time, wearing it away with sharp cracks of water hitting stone.

She paused, and walked to the stone to examine her work.

She had chipped away most of the face of the boulder, and had gouged a deep hole in its center.

Grinning, she turned to walk back to her original spot, but as she spotted the man who had just entered the courtyard the smile slid off her face, and a sinking feeling hit her stomach.

"Good afternoon, Katara!" Lakkin called out cheerfully, "I see you're practicing."

She walked slowly to the center of the floor, making her way between the rocks.

"Hello, Lakkin," she said quietly, knowing he expected her to acknowledge his greeting.

Lakkin smiled indulgently as he strode to her side, and leaning down, pecked her on her cheek. Katara fought the urge to scrub at the spot with her sleeve.

"How was your morning?" He asked, settling himself on a boulder next to her, crossing his legs and leaning back on his arms.

She stood stiffly as she replied, "It was fine. I worked on a Trade Proposal for my tribe."

Lakkin sighed and ran a hand back over his wolftail, fingering the blue beads woven into his dark hair.

"Katara, I've already told you, you shouldn't worry about the Southern and Northern Tribes issues during this conference. You about to become a part of the Western Tribe- we should hold your allegiance."

She held back her growl and said "Yes, but I am here representing my tribe, Lakkin. My father expects me to do my duty to my people. I can't ignore-"

Her necklace tightened almost imperceptibly, but Katara stopped, narrowing her eyes at her fiance.

"Enough," Lakkin drawled, "I'm tired of talking about this conference. All we ever do is talk. I prefer action myself. It seems to work better than jabbering in a roomful of stuffy old men and foolish young lords."

Katara held her tongue, but felt her anger rising.

"Now," the man added, standing once more and stretching his arms into the air, "You were practicing, correct?"

She nodded.

"I'll join you then. It's been a long time since we sparred."

She stared as Lakkin bent a mass of water to his side, freezing it into a large column.

"I'm ready," he said, spreading his arms out wide and smiling pleasantly at her.

She hissed softly, and lowered herself into a fighting stance.

If he wanted to fight, Katara would not hesitate to attack him with all she had.

Lakkin's face remained smooth as he bent his knees and waited.

With a snap of her wrists, Katara bent up a stream of water from the pool behind her, and in a second, she brought it behind her back and sent it gushing towards Lakkin's left side.

He formed an ice wall against the onslaught, as she assumed he would, and while he was concentrating on forming his shield, she thrust her right arm out, shooting the reserve of water she had slivered off her initial wave. It knocked Lakkin off his feet, and against his ice wall.

She gathered water back around her knees as her opponent pushed himself up and jumped back, flipping his legs over his body. With that gesture, he sent a flow of ice towards her, growing quickly over the rocky floor.

Katara slid to her left on an ice flow, avoiding the jagged ice that would have caused her to stumble. Lakkin to advantage of her movement to shoot a barrage of ice disks towards her center.

She flicked most away, but two hit her one after the other, knocking the wind out of her.

Lakkin ran forward as she stumbled back, lifting a wave above his head and sending it down at her. Katara gasped in a quick breath, and raised her arms, halting the flood just above her. She twisted her torso, and threw her arms into the water, forming to long whips around her arms and flicking them at each side of Lakkin. He dodged one by bending it into ice, effectively immobilising her left wrist and hand. The other whip just nicked his side, making his face twist cruelly.

Katara took a second to unfreeze her hand, allowing Lakkin to catch his breath and call up a huge mass of water behind him.

The man sent it surging towards Katara, splitting the wave to move around him, then forming back into one mass.

Katara, who had just released her hand had only enough time to breathe in and raise her hands before the water encompassed her.

_That was stupid! He's caught you like a goldfish-koi in a bowl-_She thought as she tried to bend her way out of the now spherical mass of water. No matter how she manipulated her element, Lakkin bent it back to crush around her.

Realising she was stuck, she relaxed, and allowed herself to remain suspended in her element, watching her opponent through the warped water.

He was grinning.

Lowering his hands, Lakkin released the orb, and sent Katara rushing towards the floor. Throwing her hands up, she called a wave to her legs and let it support her descent.

Lakkin had crossed his arms, and stood waiting while she stood, dripping and panting heavily.

"Are you done?" He asked kindly, smirking as Katara bent the water out of her clothes and hair, which had fallen out of it bun and was flying around her shoulders.

"Not nearly."

She spun and kicked threw a volley of ice arrows at him. While his concentration was fixed on not being impaled, Katara leapt to the side, and spinning her hands, bent a rope of twisting water at his feet.

Lakkin sidestepped her attack, and turned the rope back on her, snaking towards her chest.

She lifted her arms to dissipate the oncoming water, but stumbled on a rock as she took a step back.

The water surrounded her torso, rising up to encompass her arms and neck, then hardened to ice.

She couldn't move.

Lakkin chuckled, and lifted her up into the air, suspending her frozen body ten feet above the rocky ground.

"You really should practice more, darling. That wasn't very challenging at all."

She let out a growl, kicking her legs about helplessly.

"Let me down and I can try again. Maybe I'll have better luck this time."

He "tsk tsk"ed, and shook his head, "That won't be possible. You see, we're actually on a rather tight schedule, and I've wasted time playing around with you."

She opened her mouth to demand what he meant, but Lakkin lifted her higher, very suddenly, causing her stomach to drop unpleasantly.

"Even though this has been delightful, Katara, we have to get going."

"What do you mean-"

The ice supporting her was gone in an instant, and Katara plummeted to the ground, unable to slow her fall.

With a sickening thud she landed on her feet, which immediately gave way, her knees hitting the floor with a sharp crack.

Katara cried out as the pain flooded through her legs.

"Hush now," Lakkin said, striding over to her side, "You haven't broken anything. You'll be fine. Now get up, we're going."

Blinking back tears of pain, Katara glared up at the other water bender a moment before hoarsely saying "I'm not going anywhere, Lakkin."

Narrowing his eyes, her fiance bent over her and curled his upper lip as he answered, "Yes, you are. Stand up, Katara, we're going to be late."

She remained on the ground. She despised the fact that she was kneeling before Lakkin, but she preferred her current position to whatever he had planned.

"Fine," he murmured silkily, smiling down at her, "We can do this another way."

Katara made a quiet gurgle as her necklace tightened mercilessly, and with such force that she fell forward onto her hands.

Black spots danced before her eyes, and she forced her head up to see Lakkin smiling serenely down at her while she choked.

_He's going to kill me this time. _

She was certain of it. Her vision was fading, her heart pounding in her ears.

She needed air. She needed help. She needed-


	21. Chapter 21

So this chapter is dedicated to IGdude117, who made my day after a great review for my last chapter- probably the reason I'm updating pretty quickly. And another thanks to my beta, JonathanByers11, who has proved to be invaluable throughout the course of this fic.

(see? Good reviews = faster updates. Not that I respond well to praise at all…nu-uh. Not one bit. Well… maybe a little.)

Don't you all love my cliff hangers? I think I have a chronic author's illness. I can't not write cliff hangers.

Sorry!

If his foot was trampled on by one more fat Earth Kingdom lady, Zuko would spontaneously combust.

Trying to maintain a demeanor of charm, and keep his fake smile plastered on, the Fire Lord assured the middle-aged woman he was dancing with that he was fine, that she danced exceedingly well, and was she enjoying her stay in the palace?

The song lasted for only a few bars more, and when the final notes twanged through the air, it was with a great relief that Zuko escorted his dancing partner back to her husband.

The formal dinner had stretched out forever; Zuko was forced to sit in the very center of the long table, surrounded by high ranking nobles and simpering ladies. He hadn't seen any of his friends during the dinner, and then he only just caught a glimpse of Sokka and Suki as he led the way into one of the greater ballrooms.

Sokka had looked worried.

Pivoting on the spot, Zuko scanned the crowd, looking for Katara. He was dreaded telling her that Toph now knew about Lakkin, but at the same time, he was relieved to have someone else in on the problem.

As if thinking her name had summoned her, Zuko spotted Toph making her way towards him, plowing past overly embroidered representatives.

"You, Sparky," she hissed, "Have been avoiding me. I've been trying to find you all night."

Zuko smirked a little.

"Well, you can't really blame me, Toph. I was pretty scared at your temper tantrum this morning in the bending yard. I still have a bump on my head form that rock you threw at-"

"Shut up, Flameboy. I was just caught off guard, and unpleasantly so."

She crossed her arms, and scowled in his general direction.

"I'm not going to forget that you've made me promise to stay quiet about this."

"It shouldn't be an issue much longer. Katara told me she was going to tell you and Aang and Suki and Sokka tonight, after the dinner."

"It is after dinner," Toph stated, reaching down to brush her hands against the sides of her sleek, green gown, "And I haven't felt Katara the whole night."

"What?"

"I haven't felt her the whole night. She wasn't at dinner, and I don't think she's-"

At the same time Zuko interrupted Toph with a loud, rude expletive, Sokka dashed up and panted out "Have you two seen Katara at all? She's- What was _that_, Zuko?"

Toph sighed as Sokka gave Zuko a glare, muttering about bad influences, and said "We were just talking about that, Sokka. I was telling Zuko I haven't felt her all evening."

Suki joined them, at a more sedate pace than her husbands, but she look anxious as well when she commented, "You know, I haven't seen Lakkin tonight either. Do you think they went out for a walk or something?"

Zuko's stomach twisted unpleasantly, and Toph made a grunt of disagreement.

"Hey, guys," Aang called out as he slid next to Toph, grinning until he saw the rather serious faces of the group, "What's the matter?"

Zuko _really_ didn't feel like explaining, and so as Toph murmured that Katara and Lakkin were nowhere to be found, Zuko scanned the ballroom.

His eyes narrowed as he discovered that none of the Western Tribes representatives were among the other guests.

Aang was making some placating comment about the betrothed couple spending some time together as Zuko focused back onto the group.

"We need to go," he growled out as he tuned and walked towards the grand double doors, not bothering to look behind and check that his friends were following him.

_Something's wrong. Something's very wrong._

Zuko strode out of the ballroom, and took in a deep breath of air, relishing that it wasn't perfume poisoned.

"Zuko?" Suki asked tentatively, as the rest of them caught up with his long gait, "What's the matter?"

"I'm not sure, but we need to check something."

And with that, he took off down the hall, Toph trotting beside him, grinning wickedly.

At least someone seemed to be enjoying themselves this evening.

Aang was still asking questions as they entered the wing where the Western Tribe was staying.

It was dark but for a single lamp, mounted high on the wall.

Zuko cut Aang's "But what's the problem?" off with a sharp hand motion, and tried to see if anything was out of the ordinary in the guest hall. But, besides the unusual darkness and silence, it all seemed normal.

He desperately tried to remember whose rooms were whose, but he had no idea which was the room he really wanted to get into.

And so, he darted over to the first door on his left and opened it slowly, while Sokka whispered loudly, "Zuko! What do you think you're doing? Do you barge into your guests rooms all the time?"

Zuko ignored Sokka as he stepped into the dark room, and heard Toph murmur, "You know, I think he's sneaking in, rather than barging in, Sokka. There's a difference."

"Shut up, Toph."

"She does have a point, dear." That was Suki. " I think Zuko's-"

"Zuko would appreciate some help," he said darkly, as he bent a few flames up to the wall sconces. The bickering wasn't helping his nerves at all.

They shuffled in, Aang taking up the rear, and looking acutely uncomfortable as he saw Zuko rifling through a few documents on the desk near the bed.

"Give me a hand," Zuko ordered as his friends stood for moment, looking around, "Tell me if you find anything that looks… suspicious."

"Suspicious, Zuko?" Aang queried, "Is there something-"

"JUST LOOK!"

Suki and Sokka jumped over to the wardrobe, and Aang made his way into the bathroom, muttering under his breath.

Toph stood in the center of the room, grinning slightly.

Zuko realised that she couldn't help snoop, but he still sounded gruff as he asked, "Would you make sure no one is around?"

"What do you think I've been doing while the Fire Lord is ruffling through his guests possessions? Come on, Zuko, I'm not stupid."

Zuko held back his retort, and focused on the documents in front of him.

Nothing looked off, but he was not deterred.

Something was going on with the Western Tribe.

"Uh, Zuko?" Suki asked softly, as she and Sokka shut the wardrobe door, "How about Sokka and I run and see if we can find Katara? She might be walking around the palace somewhere-"

Toph muttered "I would have felt her if she was around, Suki" causing Zuko to jerk up and glare at the Earthbender.

"You mean you can't even feel her in the palace?!"

Toph shrugged, and stamped her left foot. Hard.

They stood still as she tilted her head and then said "Nope. It's not an exact science, Sparky, but I'd recognise Katara's heartbeat anywhere."

Zuko cursed, and straightened, scattering the papers across the desk.

"Fine," he practically snarled, "Aang, you go to Katara's room and see if anything is out of place. Suki, Sokka, you're going to help me go through the rest of the Western Tribe's rooms. Toph, just keep watch, will you?"

"Sounds good to me, Sparky."

Aang was standing still, looking uncertain, and so Zuko plastered on his most regal, Fire Lord-y look and glared at the younger man.

With a shrug, Aang jogged out of the room.

Sokka and Suki followed, and Zuko was the last person out of the room, preceded by a seemingly highly amused Toph.

The married couple split up and went into separate rooms. Zuko left Toph leaning against a wall, assuring him that she would holler is anyone started their way, and stepped into a room across the hall.

He searched the chambers contents thoroughly, wincing at the slightly mildewy clothes hanging in the wardrobe, but found nothing that seemed out of place.

He ran out of the room, leaving the door ajar, and went to the next.

Zuko followed the same pattern for the next twenty minutes, his head throbbing and his temperature rising, his inner fire threatening to set all combustibles near him into flames.

He had just finished another room when Sokka called out in the hallway "Come look at this, Zuko. I think I've found something…"

Zuko sped out of the room, kicking his heavy robes as he went- he needed to drop those somewhere, they were annoying.

Suki was hovering next to Sokka, and even Toph had joined the from her relaxed recline on the far wall.

Sokka was holding a sheet of paper, folded many times, and a little worn looking.

"What is it?" Toph demanded, stomping her feet lightly.

"It's a map," Suki answered, squinting at the spidery lines.

"Great. A piece of paper."

With a start, Zuko recognised it.

"That's mine-" he whispered.

It was the map he had drawn for Katara at the beginning of her stay. But, it was different; more lines had been added in red ink, and notes had been scrawled across the wrinkled paper.

"What does it say-" Suki asked as Zuko reached for the map, turning it to read it properly.

"Lots" he murmured, trying to decipher the script. It looked like it had been written quickly.

Zuko followed the new lines, which wound through hallways and out multiple doors. A few led to his own rooms, and many red lines converged at one of the greater ballrooms.

He narrowed his eyes, and perused the map more thoroughly. He noted a thickly dotted line that trailed between Katara's rooms and a small servant's exit near the west wing.

"Where did you find this?" He asked Sokka, who jumped back from his hovering position, bumping into Suki.

"Over there," Sokka gestured towards the door he had come from.

Zuko walked into the room, and glanced around.

It was a lovely room, decorated similarly to all the guest chambers around the palace, but he wasn't concerned about the decor. Zuko was more interested in the occupant's belongings, littered around the floor and the bed.

Without any consternation, Zuko rifled through the clothing, trying to recognise any of the articles. They were all classic water tribe colours, though finer than the clothes he had seen on Katara and Sokka.

He stiffened as he shoved aside a pair of pants, and saw a tunic he remembered.

Lakkin had worn it two days ago, at a meeting where the other man had resolutely refused to comply with a trade request. Zuko had repressed the urge to shove Lakkin's elegantly embroidered tunic down his throat.

He cursed, loudly, and started to run out of the room, but a stray scrap of paper caught his eye, laying dejectedly in the corner by Lakkin's wardrobe.

Zuko swerved and scooped it up, clutching the piece of paper in his fist. Then, robes flapping behind him, he strode out of the room and found Sokka, Suki and Toph waiting for him.

"What did you-" Sokka began to ask, but was stopped by Zuko stating "Those are Lakkin's rooms."

"Lakkin?" Suki asked in disbelief, "Are you sure Zuko? What's going on?"

Toph snorted, and Zuko glared at her, despite it being pointless.

"I'll explain as we go," he said as he turned and started walking down the hall, his destination the west wing, "But we need to find Aang, and see what he's found."

He ignored Sokka and Suki's questions as he hurried through the palace; he had to know if Aang had found anything in Katara's rooms.

"I think this map shows entry and exit points in the palace," Zuko stated over Sokka's angry questions, "Probably made with the intention of a quick getaway or unnoticed entry."

"Why would Lakkin-"

"Zuko!" Aang shouted out as they rounded a corner. The avatar was running towards them, supporting a wheezing Mina.

"What happened?" Zuko asked, eyeing the maid who looked like she had been dragged across a carpet of nails and then drowned.

"Are you alright?" he demanded of the winded young woman.

Mina nodded, but bent slightly to catch her breath, letting Zuko see the long scratches over her head and pale face. Blood trailed form quite a few of the wounds.

With a breathy gasp, Mina said "I was cleaning up Katara's room this afternoon, just after she had left, when someone knocked on the door. It was a couple of the Western Tribe representatives, and they asked to be let in. I refused- it's not right for men to be snooping around a lady's rooms- but when I did they attacked me, and nearly drowned me with bending. I woke up when the avatar came in, just now. They had tied me up in the bathroom."

"Do you know where Katara is?" Sokka asked, jumping forward.

"No," answered Mina, starting at the water tribesman's sudden movement, "She was leaving the hall as I was heading to her room."

"Where was she going?" Sokka pressed, his face fierce looking.

Zuko felt badly for Mina, who now seemed a little paler than she had been before; first the Western Tribe attacked her, and now the Southern Tribe was trying its best to interrogate her.

Mina stuttered "I - I - I think she- Katara had changed from when I last saw her, during her visit with Lady Ursa. She was in more casual clothes."

_His mother had visited Katara? What had they talked-_

Zuko shook his head, and concentrated on the issue at hand- he would think about the fact that the two most important women in his life had gotten together.

"Which way was she heading?" Suki asked, in a softer tone than Sokka's had been, "Do you have any idea where she might've been going?"

Mina frowned and shook her head.

"Great." Sokka muttered, rubbing his temples.

Aang broke in with "But, we don't need to know where Katara went. Toph, can you feel Katara in the-"

"Already tried that, Twinkletoes. She's not in the palace."

Aang's shoulders slumped.

"But she could be anywhere!" Suki exclaimed, throwing her hands out as if to encompass the entire capitol, the whole Fire Nation.

"She's with Lakkin," Zuko stated, voicing the certainty he had held from the moment he realised Katara was missing.

With a jump, he remembered the slip of paper he had picked up in Lakkin's room. It was still in his fisted hand.

He uncrumpled it quickly, scanning the small, neat handwriting.

"What's the "Sweetened Kettle"?" Sokka asked, trying to read the slip of paper from over Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko ignored his question, and stared at the paper.

"Thank you for your patronage. The Sweetened Kettle wishes you a fine day!"

Below that were two numbers- a bill, he supposed.

The name suggested a tea shop, as did the prices, but Zuko was racking his memory, trying to figure out why the name sounded so familiar.

Aang plucked the bill out of Zuko's fingers, and he offered no protest; he knew that name, but from where?

"Hey," Aang murmured, "I think I've been to this tea shop. Iroh took me two years ago, during the Fire Lily Festival-"

"Ji Wong!"

"What was that, Zuko?" Aang asked, raising his brows at Zuko's sudden shout.

"I know the man who owns that tea shop."

He recalled know- He and Katara's visit to the Fire Lily Festival, the tea vendor that had mentioned his uncle.

"Great," Toph drawled, the only one of them who looked unruffled, "You know this tea guy. Big whoop. How is this going to help us find Katara?"

He had no idea.

Maybe if he found Ji Wong and asked if he knew the Western Tribe at all- but that might be pointless! So Lakkin had tea in the man's shop-

"Zuko," Suki said, her voice raising, "There are numbers on the back of this piece of paper."

"What?"

He swerved through the small clump of bodies they formed in the middle of the hallway, and looked down at the numbers Suki had found.

"They don't make sense, though," she added, scrunching her eyes at the list of five numbers.

"Nineteen, four, twelve, seven and ten. That could be anything" Sokka commented.

Zuko snatched the paper back, and said "Let's go" as he started to walk down the hallway, towards the side door of the palace.

"Where are we going?" Aang called up to him as the rest of the group fell in behind him.

"To talk to Ji Wong. He might know what these numbers mean."

"But we don't even know if this man will be able to hel-"

"Shut up, Sokka" Suki hissed. Zuko ignored them as he slipped his arms out of his heavy robe and threw it to the side of the hall without a backward glance; His under tunic and loose pants would be more comfortable in the heat of the capitol, and would restrict him less. Zuko was extremely thankful that he had chosen to wear an older pair of boots beneath his evening finery. They were much softer than the gold gilded pair he usually wore for fancy dinners.

Aang was talking quietly with Toph when they reached the doors.

Zuko paused as he noted that the pair guards he had ordered to be stationed at each entrance where not at their post, but he shrugged and reached for the door- he needed to focus on finding Katara not his-

"Wait!" Toph cried out suddenly, making Zuko jerk back from the door and turn to face her.

"There's something- I feel like- I think that we might have a proble-"

But Toph was cut off.

From down the hallway came a wave of sounds, drowning out Zuko's soft curse and Suki's gasp.

Sokka's face was grim as he stated "They're screaming. The representatives in the ballroom- they're screaming."


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey there! Welcome to chapter 22! **

**Sorry for the wait, but as compensation I should be getting the next chapter to you fairly quickly! Whootwhoot. **

**I just want to assure everyone reading this fic that I will never**_**never**_**NEVER leave it unfinished. **

**That's my pet peeve; you get really into a really good fanfic and then all of a sudden it stops and you realise that the author hasn't updated since July of 2008. **

**It kills me. **

**So yeah. I'm going to see this fic through to the end. And then maybe a little bit more…**

**Muahahaha.**

Katara woke up with a pounding headache.

Squinting her eyes against the dim light, which still made her flinch, she rolled over.

_Not a good idea. _

Her whole body ached liked someone had slammed it repeatedly against a stone wall. Katara blinked rapidly as she looked at her surroundings.

She was...not in her rooms.

With a gasp, Katara sat up, ignoring the throbbing that ensued throughout her being, as she remembered what happened in the bending courtyard. She'd been fighting Lakkin, he had gained the upper hand and then-

She swore and tried to jump up, off the pallet she had discovered herself to be lying upon. However, she only got up as far as her knees before she was jerked back.

With a soft curse, Katara looked down at her hands. Large metal cuffs, which fit almost like mittens, encircled them; only the tips of her fingers were free from the binding. With growing horror, she glanced down at her ankles. They were chained to the wall, her ankles in shackles.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to relax, and to sit down on the pallet as comfortably as possible. The chains connected to her hands were long enough for Katara to move her arms pretty freely, but there was only about three feet of chain for her feet.

She was stuck.

Katara glanced about the room. It was spartan. The only furnishings in it were her pallet, a rough looking table and a rickety chair.

She saw no water, not even a plant to drain.

There had been a window right above her bed, but it had been covered by a large sheet of metal, with large screws holding it in. She could almost feel the humidity trying to push its way in, but the room remained stagnant and dry.

Katara noted a vent by the door, across the room from her. The air around it shimmered, as if it was hot-

She cursed again.

Katara remembered with chilling clarity the tales Hama had told her about the waterbenders who had been captured during the war. The conditions they were held in, how it had taken _years_ for Hama to escape, and even longer for the prisoners that had eventually created the Western Tribe.

She started to tug on the chains, staring at the hooks on the wall. Maybe if she could pull them out-

The door swung open suddenly, and Lakkin walked in, a wide smile on his face.

"Good evening, Katara," he said as he shut the door behind him, "Nice to see you're awake."

Katara glared at the man, unable to form words. She gave her wrist chains another tug.

"Tsk tsk," he said, grabbing the chair and swinging towards her pallet, "It isn't polite to ignore your fiancé, you know. It might make him… angry."

Katara sat still as the chair whipped past her face, a hair's breadth from her cheek. She wouldn't allow Lakkin to intimidate her.

Lakkin settled the chair just out of kicking range, turned it backwards and sat down, smirking at her.

"You know," he admitted, settling his elbows on the chair's back, "I thought that you would be a bit angrier than this, Katara. You seem pretty docile."

She found her words.

"DOCILE?!" She screamed, thrashing against her chains, "What have you done, Lakkin? Why am I here? _Where _is here? And what the hell am I doing CHAINED TO A WALL?!"

Lakkin chuckled, "That's better. You're so much more...interesting when you're worked up."

"Lakkin, let me go!"

"No, I'm enjoying this."

She hissed at him, tugging violently on her arm chains. If her hands were free, if it was the full moon-

"Those chains aren't going to give, Katara. You're wasting your time."

"Well, it seems like I'm going to have plenty of it, unless you're planning to let me go."

He shook his head, and grinned.

"Not anytime soon. I'm going to be pretty busy over the next few days, and I don't want you to be in the way."

"IN THE WAY?!" she shrieked, kicking out with her legs, trying to knock his chair down, "Lakkin, what are you thinking? What are you doing?"

His chair was past the reach of her kick, and Lakkin watched in amusement as Katara struggled. His expression reminded her of the time she had seen a domestic cat-owl playing with a meadow-vole, a claw stuck in its tail. The cat-owl had stared intently at its prey, watching as it struggled to free itself. The cat-owl had purred the entire time.

With a shrug, Lakkin said "I'm only doing that which should have been done long ago, Katara. The Western Tribe has remained in the shadow of the Fire Nation for far too long. I'm going to change that."

"Change how, Lakkin?" She cried out, astounded by the serenity her fiance was showing- _what was he planning on doing?_

"I'm going to start with some major leadership changes," he drawled, running his hands across the back of the chair, "And then go from there. This nation needs some help, I think, and I'm sure that we can be of... assistance. I want to show the world that the Western Tribe is not to be trifled with, and what better time to do it then now? All the nations are represented at the palace, at this very moment."

Katara stared at Lakkin.

He seemed so sure of himself, unruffled and calm, whereas she was ready to burst into screams, demanding to be told what was really happening.

"And despite how lovely it has been chatting with you, darling, I really do need to be going," Lakkin drawled as he stood up from his seat, "I have a lot to do tonight, and I can't sit here and keep you company, no matter how charming you are."

He turned, walking towards the door. Katara was only silent for a moment, taking in what he had just said. Then she screamed, a full-blown, bloodcurdling screech; it rivaled even the wolf-calls her tribe made before running into battle.

Lakkin whirled around, his handsome face twisted in anger. He narrowed his eyes, and Katara's scream was silenced as her necklace tightened suddenly.

In a cool tone, Lakkin advised, "I wouldn't do that again, darling. You see, my fellow tribesmen and I bought this entire building soon after we entered the city. The only people who can hear you scream are loyal to me."

Her vision was blurring, and Katara was sure that if she didn't get air soon, she would pass out. Again.

"So, behave yourself, Katara. I'll be back sooner than later, and then we'll have a talk about our upcoming nuptials."

The force on her neck was loosed, and Katara gasped in air, trying to calm her screaming lungs.

She caught her breath just as Lakkin was turning the knob.

"Why-" she rasped, "Why are you still planning on marrying me, Lakkin? You seem to have your own agenda well laid out. Why would you align yourself with someone who clearly despises you?"

Lakkin smiled endearingly as he stood in the doorway, sending shivers down her spine.

"Ah, Katara, you may despise me, but I find you exceedingly fascinating. Not only are you an effective bargaining chip, capable of holding the Water Tribe at bay, but you are also a lovely, spirited, talented woman."

He shut the doors as he whispered "And I will enjoy breaking you."

_mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm_

Katara lost track of time after Lakkin left her.

She amused herself with tugging on her chains, creating a clanging, tuneless song to fill the minutes, hours as she sat.

A stern-faced man checked in on her well into the night, cracking the door open to glance around the room. She paused her pulling, and called out to him, demanding he let her go.

The man smirked, and slammed the door, leaving Katara in the dim room, her only company the feeling of growing humidity pressing against the steel covered window.

That humidity was actually comforting, although it was effectively kept out of the room by the hot air being pumped in and the steel covering to the window. Katara could feel it pulsing against the steel, and her fingers itched in their cuffs, longing to call the water to her side.

She tried to wiggle her fingers, but it was no use. The metal held her hands stiff, almost cutting off the blood flow to her-

She stilled.

_Blood_.

Blood was just mineral, nutrient, and cell infused water. And she was practically bursting with it.

Katara shuddered. She _hated _bloodbending, in any form. It was a violation of her bending, her values and her culture. The Water Tribe valued a person's rights, and Katara had always followed that belief. Bloodbending acted over a person's will, and assumed control over the one thing that everyone should hold power over: their body.

She squared her shoulders. Katara knew what she had to do, even though it made her skin crawl.

_Pain is only temporary, _she reminded herself, _It'll be over soon._

She paused, listening for any sound of footsteps near the door. Being disturbed now would not be helpful.

Katara took a deep breath, holding it in for only a moment, and then she bit down on her tongue.

Hard.

Hot, salty blood flowed from her tongue, and Katara ignored her repulsion. She had more work to do.

She spat carefully, and eyed the dark spot of blood on the floor in front of her with distaste.

Raising her arms as high as the chains allowed, she carefully bent the blood into a small dagger, freezing it. Bending without the use of her hands wasn't impossible, only difficult; Katara had to focus her energy in a different way.

Quickly, before she could flinch away, she bent the blood dagger down, thrusting it into her upper left arm. She made sure not to hit her artery, remembering its location from her healing studies.

Her strike was rewarded by the warm gush of blood down her arm. She let it flow, and when the stream hit her cuff, she froze it. It was only a second before the metal fractured, frost forming on the surface before it shattered.

She made quick work of her other bonds, and smiled grimly as she stopped the blood running down her arm.

Katara stood up slowly, the creaking in her joints making her wonder just how long she had been in the room. She flicked her wrists and called the remaining blood up to hover above her hands; she wasn't sure what was outside the room, or if there would be a close water source.

She wobbled over to the door on unsteady feet, and paused, taking a few moments to gain her balance and listen for any movements outside the door.

She heard nothing, and so carefully turned the knob- _they hadn't even locked it!_\- and peeked her head out.

She was in a relatively long hallway, dotted with doors along each side. Lanterns were mounted on the walls, and a few were lit, shedding a faint light. To her right, at the end was a doorway, and Katara could see stairs curling around, out of view.

She ran to the door, and started down the stairs, praying that no one was below her to hear the whining of the floorboards as she had dashed down the hall.

The stairs themselves were wide, and covered in a lush, dark green carpet. Katara absentmindedly wondered what the building was used for, when not occupied by Lakkin and his tribesmen. The hall she had just left put her in mind of a well-to-do hotel, with its line of doors and lanterns.

Katara descended, listening carefully, past the shush of her bare feet on the carpet- _when had she lost her slippers?_\- trying to hear any other sounds that might warn her of Western Tribesmen.

She followed the stairs down past two other floors, each sporting a hallway with multiple doors.

The stairs ended, spilling out into a large hall. Katara crept from the safety of the stairwell, and walked slowly down the center of the room.

It was a little dusty, like no one had bothered to clean for a week or so, but other than that it was a welcoming room; there were soft looking chairs gathered around small round tables, set in configurations that dotted the room. At the very end of the room a few tables had been shoved together, and sheets of paper were strewn across it haphazardly.

Katara itched to examine those tables, but the whisper of fresh air that wafted across her cheek called her. She whirled around, and saw the door, cracked open slightly. She could see the glow of lantern light, through the small opening.

She ran over, her bare feet slightly chilled despite the warmth and humidity flowing in from the night.

Katara was at the door, she could see the stars winking down to her, when a hand closed down on her shoulder, jerking her back from the door, back from freedom.

"Let me go!" she cried out, thrashing against the firm grip.

A thick hand clasped around her mouth, and her shout was muffled.

Twisting around, Katara found herself face to face with one of the Western Tribesmen, a large, middle aged man whose name she could never remember.

He glared down at her before muttering, "Lakkin won't be pleased." With that, he began hauling Katara back from the door.

Mind racing, she went limp. Her sudden lack of squirming caught the man off guard, and allowed for Katara to wrench her hands free from his hold. Without so much as a grimace, she bent a stream of blood from the wound on her arm, and wove it around the man's outreached hands. With a sharp twist, she pulled them together and froze the liquid.

The man seemed flabbergasted at her choice of weapon, his jaw slack as he stared at the crimson ice that encircled his wrists. His confusion gave Katara enough time to gather her senses and pull the water out of the thick and humid air. She made quick work of his ankles, binding them together. Then she froze his tongue in a casing of ice- his yells would attract attention sooner or later.

Katara to only a moment to gaze down at her handiwork; the man was sprawled on the floor, his hands and feet useless, and the only sound his muffled grunts.

She ran for the door, and burst through it, relishing the feel of the hot air on her skin.

_She was free. _

A shuffle of feet alerted her to the presence of more Western Tribesmen. Katara recognised one of the three men coming after her through the door.

Indruh was a waterbender, but he was no match for a fully enraged Katara.

She drew her hands through the air, twisting her fingers and bending water into small masses above her palms. She sent a disc of ice flying at the first man, who had started to race towards her. It clipped him on the side of the head, and he fell to the ground, not moving.

Indruh had pulled water from a sack at his belt, and sent a snake of the element spinning towards her feet.

Katara cut off the large tendril with a downward slash of her left arm, while bending a hail of thin ice daggers at the third man. One hit him in the side, and blood started to saturate the shirt he was wearing.

She allowed herself a moment to confirm that she hadn't hit any any important internal organs before giving her full attention to the waterbender who was making his way towards her.

The man bent up two water whips, and was trying to bend them around her, trying to impede her arms movements. But Katara only chuckled, and froze the whips which fell to the cobbled street with dull thunks.

She took control of one with a heave of her arms, and as she twirled to her left, she bent the ice rope at Indruh's knees.

It hit the man's legs with a satisfying smack, causing him to stagger forward, falling onto his shins.

He looked up at her just as Katara bent a circled of water around his neck and tightened.

"Where is Lakkin?" she hissed out, sure that if she allowed herself to raise her voice anymore, she would start screaming at the other waterbender.

"I'm not telling you anything, you-"

She tightened the rope around his neck, and Indruh squeaked to a stop, his throat too pressured for any sound to come out of it.

Katara felt a sick thrill course through her as she asserted her power over the man. So this is what it felt like, to have complete control of-

In an instant, her stomach heaved, and Katara loosened the force on Indruh's neck. The man wheezed as Katara recoiled; she had just reveled in the very thing that Lakkin had held over her for the past year.

She forced down her urge to retch as Indruh rasped out "The palace. Lakkin was going to the palace. The rest of the men are there-"

He was cut off as Katara bent a chunk of ice down over his head, knocking the man out.

_The palace? Why would Lakkin want to…_

Katara stiffened as she recalled how Lakkin had mentioned how all the representatives were there, that he wanted to show the world that the Western Tribe was not to be over-looked.

She jerked her head back and forth, trying to recognise her surroundings.

She wasn't in the slums, Katara was sure of that. There was a pleasant hint of some well-tended garden in the night air, and across the smooth street was a darkened tea house, it's door gilded with something that glinted like gold in the dark street.

Glancing down the street, Katara caught sight of a fountain, and she ran towards it, the water practically calling her name.

As she neared the splashing pool, she recognised the spot.

This was where she and Zuko had danced, the night he had taken her to the Fire Lily Festival.

She spun around, and oriented herself to the small square. _There! _Katara was sure that was the way they had come in, all those days ago.

With a backwards glance, she bent a cloud of water up, and pulled it behind her as she raced through the silent streets, her feet making a soft pattering as she ran.

She had to get back to the Palace.


	23. Chapter 23

_Well. This is a little embarrassing._

Righto.

MY MOST SINCERE APOLOGIES FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE!

I didn't mean to take so long, but life kinda caught up to me and ensnared me in its tentacles. It was a crazy August, and now I'm back.

I present the next chapter in this fic, and I hope you do enjoy it. Please feel free to write a review or two and share this story with a friend!

I do love me some good reviews…

Until next time.

Which should be much sooner than this time, which should've happened much sooner.

And many thanks to JonathanByers11 for being a great beta once again!

Zuko stood still for only a moment, Sokka's statement ringing in his ears.

Then the group burst into activity; Sokka grabbed for Suki and started whispering harshly. Toph's brows furrowed, and she cocked her head, running her feet restlessly along the marble floors while Aang pushed his way over to Zuko.

noticed that Mina was standing quietly, wringing her hands and looking out of place as Aang demanded ,"What are you going to do, Zuko?"

A flood of irritation washed over Zuko, as he ground down his urge to tell the Avatar to go sort out the problem, 'cause wasn't that what the Avatar was supposed to do?

But then Zuko felt the weight of his title settle on his shoulders; he was the Fire Lord. Aang was simply doing the correct thing given the circumstances. Those were his guests that were screaming down the hall, and it was his duty to take care of them… however that may be.

Zuko took a deep breath, and glanced down at the piece of paper clutched in his hand. his blood heated with rage as he realised that Katara would have to wait, that she came second to his nation and its reputation, its honour.

Never before had Zuko wished he hadn't become Fire Lord. This new desire left him unsettled.

"I need to go help," he finally growled, squaring his shoulders, "Aang, come with me please, and Suki too."

Sokka lifted his head and protested.

"Hey! What do you think-"

"Sokka, Toph, you two go into the capitol. You're going to find out what these-" he gave the paper to Sokka, "Mean, and see if you can find Katara."

Toph mumbled "It's a big city, Zuko, and you're asking a guy with a boomerang and a blind girl to go search it?"

"No. I'm asking the you two, Toph and Sokka, to use your combine skills and try to find Katara, your friend, his sister."

Toph frowned slightly, but shrugged, and Sokka brushed a kiss on Suki's cheek before placing a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder and steering her towards the side door.

"Come on, Toph," he heard Sokka say as he shoved the door open, "We'll get this done before Zuko's finished rounding up the meadow-vole, or sparrowkeet that's scaring all his fancy guests."

Despite his light tone, Zuko noted Sokka's worried glance that he shot back to his wife, and the tense set of the watertribe man's shoulders.

The pair walked out of view, and Zuko turned to Mina, who was standing unobtrusively to the side.

"Mina, you should go to the kitchens, or the servants' quarters and warn anyone you see that there is trouble in this side of the palace, and that they should stay clear."

The young woman nodded, her scratches standing out in stark contrast with her pale skin, then she turned and ran down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

Zuko regarded the remaining two in the hall.

"Suki," he said, snapping sparks from his fingers, "I'm going to send you in first. You are a little less-"

The woman cut him off with a shake of her head, "I'm not as famous as you or Aang, I get it."

She started to jogging down the hall, and he and Aang fell in behind her.

"What do you want me to look for, Zuko? And do you want me to signal you in?"

"Watch for Western Tribe members, and-"

They turned a corner, and the cries grew louder.

"On second thought," he said, picking up his pace to a flat out run, "Let's just burst in and see what's going on."

Zuko snapped his fingers again, a nervous habit he had picked up over the years, and he reveled in the sharp bite of fire against his skin. It helped focus his energy.

The three of them closed in on the grand doors to the ballroom.

Zuko raised his head, and goosebumps broke out across his skin as he smelled the faint tang of blood in the air.

The gold-gilded doors were cracked open, and Suki edged in first, then Aang, and then Zuko slipped into his ballroom.

Chaos reigned in the grand room.

A group of Earth Kingdom ladies huddled in the corner nearest Zuko, shrieking as they watched the rest room's occupants. Giving them only a passing glance, and determining that they weren't in any real trouble, Zuko focused on the greater population of the room.

In a sick mockery of a dance, fighting had broken out on the marble floor of the ballroom. Amidst a confusing clash of colours and movements, Zuko spotted the muted blues favoured by the Western Tribe attacking their opponents, most of whom seemed to be his guests, along with a few of the palace guards.

He raced forward, and kicked the feet from under a waterbender who had been about to plunge an ice dagger into a Fire Nation noble's back. The man struggled to get back up, but Zuko swung down and thrust the man's head against the floor. Hard.

The nobleman gaped at him for a moment, then said over the din "They just came out of nowhere, my lord."

Zuko nodded curtly, brushing aside the satisfaction that flooded him; he had been right about the Western Tribe. He told the older man to get out of the ballroom, to go back to his rooms. Then, he turned, and faced the continuing mess that surrounded him.

Suki and Aang had inserted themselves into the mass of fighting, and Zuko spotted Suki lashing out with a high kick towards another waterbender, who responded with a viscous water whip to Suki's cheek. It drew blood, and Zuko surged forward to help the woman, but she beat him to it and flipped onto her hands, and caught the waterbender underneath his chin with the flats of her feet.

The man fell down, dazed and slack-jawed.

A stream of water hissed past his face, and caused Zuko to jerk to the left. He turned to find a middle aged man grinning at him madly, while bending a sharpened stream back at him.

Zuko raised his fists, and shot a burst of flames to meet the water, steam exploding where the two elements met. He used the steam to rush forward and leap at the man, who stepped back, bending up a wall of thin ice.

Zuko crashed through the wall, and bumped into a Foggy Swamp bender, who was glancing around nervously.

"Help me!" He shouted to the man, over the noise of women screaming, men calling for their wives and fighting.

The Foggy Swamp man looked at Zuko, then over to the Western Tribesman who was calling up a cloud of ice daggers.

Foggy Swamp man- Zuko really didn't feel bad for not remembering the man's name at this point in his evening- lifted his arms, and commandeered the other waterbender's water, gathering it into a large ice block and jamming down on their opponent's head.

"Thanks," Zuko yelled, looking around to see where else he could be of use, "Try and help out wherever you see Western Tribesmen."

Foggy Swamp man nodded, and trotted off.

Zuko faced the knot where the fighting was thickest, noting that Aang was already there, spinning and jabbing out towards the blue clad warriors.

He jumped into the fray, threading himself into the rhythm of the battle. He ducked, twirled, leapt up and back, a strange sense of exhilaration thrumming through his bones; this, he was good at. He could fight these Western Tribesmen, he could protect his halls, his nation against this threat.

Zuko fought against, and bested three waterbenders, and one heavily armed warrior. Escaping with only a few scratches and one nasty bump on his jaw, he found himself back to back with Aang as he avoided a flood of water aimed for his chest. Tilting his head back, he caught Aang's eye as the younger man whispered "duck".

Zuko ducked.

Aang's eyes flashed erie white, then the Avatar flung his arms out, sending out a gust of wind that knocked everyone in their immediate vicinity onto the floor. While they still struggled to stand up, Aang bent the ground up, curling it around the Western Tribesmen. Aang straightened and looked around at his work. Small spheres of earth and marble now littered the ballroom, containing the tribesmen.

"Oh," Aang said suddenly, and with a sharp downward jab, he bent tiny holes in the tops of the strange looking prisons.

"I had to give them a little air in those things," the Avatar explained as he caught Zuko's eye, "Otherwise they'd use up their air supply pretty soon."

Zuko shrugged, and turned his attention towards his guests.

The nobles and representatives who had been struggling with the men stood up, some helped by others. They were certainly worse for wear after the attack, and Zuko raised his eyebrows as he saw the weapons they had been forced to use to defend themselves.

One of his nobles, a firebender, was extending a hand down to a young Earth Kingdom representative, who was clutching a pair of serving knives that she must have grabbed from the refreshments table.

Aang placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder, causing him to jump up from his crouch.

"Look," the Avatar said, pointing towards the doors. The Western Tribesmen that hadn't been incapacitated or encased by earth had formed a small phalanx and were running past the still-shrieking Earth Kingdom women, out of the ballroom.

Suki trotted up to them, and said a little breathlessly "A woman just told me what happened-" she paused to brush at her bloodied cheek- "She said the Western Tribesmen didn't burst in, that they must have filtered in with the other guests. They were noticed after a group of them forced the members of your advisor council out the door. I guess a few people tried to stop them and fighting broke out."

_His advisor council?_ What did the Western Tribe want with his advisors?

Zuko glanced around the room, at the representatives and their families who were still running around and making more noise than his suddenly aching head liked.

He had to take care of them first.

Darting over to the refreshments table, and disregarding the mess of ruined food that covered it, he jumped up in one smooth leap. Facing the crowd, and now more than three heads above the tallest person, he cleared his throat and shouted "Nobles, representatives, and honoured guests!"

The shouts quieted, the people stopped their running and a multitude of faces turned to face Zuko.

He swallowed heavily, suddenly remembering his intense dislike for impromptu public speeches- why, he'd rather be fighting the western tribesmen again_-never mind that!_

Zuko cleared his throat, and ordered his racing thoughts.

"The Western Tribe representatives have attacked the people of this conference tonight, and the Avatar, Master Suki and I thank you for your efforts in attempting to hold them off."

Glancing around the now-battered ballroom, Zuko noted that many of his guests sported minor injuries, and a few were being supported by their neighbours.

"We have singled out a suspect leader behind this attack, and are in the process of freezing his attempts at violence. At this time, the safest course of action for you, my guests, would be to return to your rooms within the palace, and remain there until a member of my staff assures you that the situation is under control. You all have my deepest apologies for tonight's events, and my assurance that those responsible will be held accountable for their actions. Oh, and," he added as a limping man caught his attention, "If any of you need a healer, I will have my personal doctors make rounds after the situation is under control."

A few of the representatives started to walk towards him, and some even called out his name, but Zuko was off the table and jogging over to Aang and Suki before they could hook their claws in him.

The three of them ran to the grand doors, maneuvering their way through the guests, and turned right as they entered the hall.

Suki led them, calling back to say, "The woman I spoke with, she said she thought the Western Tribesmen took the members of the council this way."

She was interrupted as a group of palace guards rushed at them from a connecting hallway, swords raised and fists ready.

"Hold!" Zuko cried out, just as the men were about to attack.

One of the men must've of recognised him, for he lowered his weapon and motioned for the other to do the same.

"Lord Zuko," the same man said, bowing quickly, "We just received word that there was a breach of security in the ballroom."

"There was," he said shortly, "The assailants have been contained, and the guests have been told to return to their rooms. I want you to go and secure the men who have been imprisoned in the ballroom, and send out men to ensure that the guests are all safe and in their rooms for the time being."

The man in front nodded.

"What about you, sir?" He glanced back at Suki and Aang, and then back to Zuko, "Would you like me to send some men with you?"

Zuko shook his head, "My companions and I should be able to handle anything that comes our way."

He motioned the men down the hallway, and after they had marched off, he, Suki and Aang resumed their own journey.

They passed through the main part of the palace, the great rooms and dining halls and galleries used for important guests, pausing in each new area to look for Western Tribesmen. They found no one, and Zuko's frustration mounted. He wanted to find the tribesmen who had taken members of his council hostage, efficiently take them out, ensure that his council's safety and then move on to more pressing matters. Like locating Katara, and finding Lakkin.

After that-well, to be honest, Zuko was caught up on that last part: finding Lakkin. He was trying not to daydream about what he would do to the man once he got his hands around Lakkin's throat, but his anticipation was making it a little hard to concentrate on their systematic run-through of the Palace.

They had entered the more private area of the palace now, and as Suki rounded a corner she gave a small shriek, coming to an abrupt halt.

Zuko pushed past Aang, who was looking over Suki's shoulder, and stepped up alongside Suki to spot a young guard, laying splayed out on the marble floor, seemingly unconscious.

Moving forward to kneel beside him, Zuko checked for obvious wounds, and then seeing none, he shook the man's shoulder gently.

With a gasp, the guard's eyes flew open, his hand coming up to rub his head.

"Are you alright?" Suki asked as she came to crouch alongside the man.

"Yes, miss. I just was-damn!"

He sat up suddenly, eyes wild.

"There were men-came out of nowhere-waterbenders- heading towards-noblemen with-"

"Just take a minute," Aang interjected kindly, "Try to breath deeply."

Zuko quelled the urge to shake the man again and tell him to hurry up as the guard shuddered and sat still for awhile. They needed to move quickly.

With a deep breath, the man continued, "I was making my rounds and a group of waterbenders came out of nowhere. They had some noblemen with them, they looked like hostages of some kind. I tried to stop them but there were too many, I got caught up with just one man, but before he knocked me out, I noticed that they were moving towards the bending courtyard, where the Fire Lord practices often."

Turning towards Zuko, the man added, "I am deeply ashamed that I couldn't perform my duty in a more competent manner, sir."

Zuko stood up and managed a small smile, "It wasn't your fault. You certainly tried to stop the men, and I'm thankful for your help. Now go and find a palace physician; you need to have your head checked out."

With that, Zuko spun on his heels and took off towards the bending courtyard.

First, secure his council, then find Katara.

He heard Aang and Suki coming up behind him.

_I've got the Avatar and an accomplished Kyoshi Warrior. How hard could this possibly be?_


	24. Chapter 24

Hi there.

I'm back! After my very, very long, unintentional writing sabbatical, I present my 24th chapter to you.

Many thanks to my Beta, JonathanByers11, who has gently prodded me to get this out to the world.

Enjoy- and leave feedback... I thrive on it.

Until my next chapter!

...

**PS. For all of you that had to read the first update of this, I apologise. My computer was doing something funky- so, have a better version, below!**

Katara only saw one person as she ran towards the palace. The ragged fruit vendor barely glanced up as she darted around him, trying not to bump against his rickety stall.

She raced through the narrow streets, thankful that no one was around to slow her down. These same streets had been packed during the Lily Festival, and now, deserted and silent, they seemed completely different. Katara slowed as she came to an intersection.

She started to the left street, then paused.

Damn.

With a horrible knot forming in her stomach, Katara realised that she had no idea how to get back from here. The area looked so foreign without the lights and crowds that she had last seen it. Tightening her control on the cloud of water she was pulling along with her, Katara spun around, looking down each of the three streets in front of her, trying to reimagine them as they were during the festival.

The center one looked promising, but-

"KATARA!"

She jerked towards the sound of her name, hands going up defensively, but then a body slammed into hers.

Warm arms encircled her, and Sokka practically yelled in her ear, "Where have you been? We've been looking for you and something weird is going on at the palace, and I'd really like to get back to Suki, but are you okay? And why are you out here? What happened?!"

Katara let herself lean into Sokka's solid strength for a moment before wresting herself out of his arms and facing him.

Sokka looked a little wild-eyed, and his arms twitched toward her again, so Katara took a step back and put herself out of grabbing range.

"It's Lakkin," she began, "He's gone mad, Sokka, and he said he's trying to 'make his mark' or something, and I think he's going to attack the palace or Zuko or something. I didn't really get a chance to interrogate him, though, mostly because he had me chained to a wall."

"CHAINED TO A-"

"Calm down, Sokka," a dry voice cut in, and Katara turned to find Toph walking towards them casually, as if they had just happened to meet in the street, "We can get the gory details later. And you're going to bust an artery if you let yourself get too excited."

"Toph! Why are you here and what the-"

"Zuko asked us to find you, and you popped up on my radar a little while ago," the petite earthbender answered, tapping her temple lightly, 'So we're here to bring you back to palace. Hopefully things have calmed down, or-" Toph cracked her knuckles slowly- "I'll have to do some… negotiating."

"What's happening at the palace?" Katara demanded, whirling to face Sokka. If he hadn't been so busy yelling at her...

Sokka shrugged, "Some people attacked the guests in the ballroom. We don't know much because we were trying to find you, and we had to search the Western Tribes rooms, and then Zuko sent us off to find you."

Then Lakkin truly had been serious about making trouble.

"We need to get back to the palace," Katara said, looking over to Toph, who had bent up a stool from the earth and was inspecting her toes.

"Took you long enough to decide that," she said as she stood, stretching her back, "The palace is a good 15 minute run from here, so let's go."

Toph took off, running down the street on the right, and Katara started after her, Sokka by her side.

"So you left Aang and Zuko to handle the situation at the palace?" she asked after a while, her words coming out in huffs. "For me?"

Sokka shrugged in time with his quick breathing, "You're more important than all those pompous idiots. What did you expect me to do?"

"Not abandon our friends to take care of a dangerous situation! And Suki-"

"Katara. You're my sister. I had no idea where you were, if you were okay or not. Suki, and Zuko and Aang can take care of themselves just fine, I have confidence in them. Is it so bad that I want to take care of you-"

"Stop bickering, you two," Toph called back, "Save your energy for running."

"I can run and bicker just fine," Sokka muttered, but then he fell silent.

Katara understood Sokka's desire to protect her, he had always displayed that tendency. Sometimes she thought he thought it made him a bigger man- protecting his family- but she knew that he loved her beyond any doubt.

It still bothered her that Sokka had left Zuko, Aang and Suki to fight by themselves. If anything happened to them- if anything happened to Zuk-

"Stop worrying, Sugar Queen, you're heartbeat is messing with my view of the city. Just tone it down."

Katara huffed at Toph, but concentrated on her gait, and pushing forward through the city.

There were no soldiers posted at the gate of the palace, and the grounds leading up the the side entrance were deserted. Katara glanced around one last time, before the trio ran through the large doors- the empty grounds were unsettling.

The entrance hall was similarly empty. Toph came to a stop in the center of the large room, half turning on her heels.

"The ballroom has been emptied, and it feels like many of the 'pompous idiots', as you so lovingly called them, Sokka, have returned to their chambers."

Sokka looked up from where he was bent over, breathing deeply, recovering from their steady run to the palace.

"Is everything good then?" He demanded, straightening.

"I'm not-" Toph began, moving her barefeet restlessly over the marble floor. She interrupted herself with a hiss, and swung to face the corridor on their left.

Katara gathered the water she had pulled along with her through the city, forming a wide circle around their small group.

A squadron of palace guards came into view, jogging towards them in tight formation. They slowed as they entered the entrance hall.

"Masters Toph, Sokka and Katara," the head guard called out, "We have secured all the guests, and I've stationed men in the East Wing, and in the Servants Wing as well."

Sokka stepped forward and motioned for Katara to lower her water ring.

"Very good," Sokka said, "What of the situation in the rest of the Palace? Have you engaged with any Western Tribesmen?"

Katara blinked. Sokka's ability to take on the mantle of a skilled warrior in seconds had always amazed her. He could shed his silliness when the moment called for seriousness, and it was a fascinating transformation.

"We have captured 37 Western Tribesmen in total, some from the ballroom, many after they engaged with guards around grounds. I have ordered my men to pull closer to the palace itself, as it seems like the greatest threat remains in the West Wing, and the Royal Wing. We were just about to head that way to reinforce Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar and Master Suki."

Katara stepped forward, brushing her palms against her now-grimy pants.

"We will join you," she stated, glancing down at Toph, who nodded slightly.

With that said, Katara spun and shot down the corridor that led to the Western Wing.

* * *

Zuko held his hand up, motioning for Aang and Suki to halt. They were crouched against a wall, the entrance to the bending-courtyard just around the corner.

He slid forward, and peeked around the corner. Two Western Tribesmen were standing guard at the door that led to the yard, one holding a wicked looking curved blade, the other absentmindedly pushing a mass of water around his knees.

He turned back to Aang and Suki, and held up two fingers. Then he pointed to Suki, who shrugged and gave the two men a wicked grin. Zuko then pointed at Aang and himself, and then gestured that they would continue past while Suki took care of the two guards. Aang nodded.

Suki crept close to the corner, looked back at the two men, then shot around the wall.

Zuko jumped up and rounded the corner as well, Aang on his heels, just as Suki kicked at the waterbender, her foot connecting with the man's nose.

Zuko bent two fire daggers into his fists as he ran for the door. The other man gave a hoarse shout, but was cut short by Suki who swept his feet out from under him. Zuko saw her jab her elbow into the bender's temple, dropping him to the ground.

He and Aang burst through the door to the courtyard.

They both settled into low, defensive positions, while taking in the situation.

The courtyard was still a rocky mess from when Toph had had her little tantrum earlier that afternoon, lit by torches that were placed periodically along the walls. The sky was dark above the yard, thick with clouds.

Standing center-left was a small group of Western Tribesmen, clustered around members of Zuko's council. He caught the gaze of Mashi, his uncles friend, noting that the man had heavy bruises on his face.

A deep chuckle filled the silent courtyard, and Zuko jerked his head to the right, to find Lakkin leaning against a large boulder. The man was watching Zuko and Aang with a crooked grin.

"Welcome," he said, "It's nice to have you both here."

Zuko felt a wave of rage rise up through his chest.

"Aang," he muttered under his breath, "Can you handle the men on the left, and then see the councilmembers out safely."

Lakkin was still speaking.

"I wanted you to see the rise of the Western Water Tribe. We've stayed quiet for far too long, and now we will take our place in the world!"

Aang nodded minutely, "I can but what will you-"

"I'll take care of Lakkin," Zuko growled, his skin crawling as Lakkin said something about "subduing" other nations.

Zuko watched out of the corner of his eye as Aang closed his eyes. Then, the younger man stood up, turning to face the group on the left. Zuko kept his gaze on Lakkin, who made no move even when Aang ran forward, his eyes flashing that strange white before he dove into the group of Western Tribesmen.

Lakkin remained as he was, leaning against the rock, while Zuko inched closer to him. Aang was earthbending large boulders at the tribesmen, while simultaneously trying to free Zuko's council members from their chains. Moving slowly, over the rough courtyard, Zuko positioned himself across from Lakkin. He knew Aang would take care of the others, but he- he wanted to personally take on the grinning Waterbender in front of him. Lakkin was the root of all that had gone wrong in the recent past, and Zuko was going to-

"This is quite interesting," Lakkin drawled, glancing over to see all his men on the ground, and Aang freeing the last councilmember.

Zuko looked over and caught Aang's attention.

"Get them out, and to safety," Zuko commanded quietly, "I will take care of him."

Aang hesitated only a second before pulling a councilmen up, and gesturing the men towards, and then out the door.

Lakkin made no move while this happened, and Zuko remained just as still.

When the last man was out, Lakkin muttered "Finally", before sweeping his arms up. A wave of water flew out of the trough near the wall, and slammed into the door, freezing upon impact.

Zuko raised his brows.

Pushing himself off the rock, Lakkin stepped forward, grinning again.

"I've waited a long time for this, Fire Lord. It's time you paid for the suffering of my people."

Zuko tensed, then straightened from his crouch. He rolled his shoulders as Lakkin took another step. He would not be the one paying for wrongs tonight.

Neither men noticed the shadow that crawled along the roofline, barely silhouetted by the dark sky.


	25. Chapter 25

ANOTHER UPDATE?

A shout-out to my faithful Beta, JonathanByers11, who has been such a great help!

**Thank you all** for reading my fic, I'm really happy to be back and writing again.

If you were wondering why I dropped off the face of for a while…I'm a college student, and last semester was extremely tough, so this story was pushed to the side while I tried to handle my studies and life. Thanks for reading, extra-thanks if you leave reviews.

….

They ran into two groups of Western Tribesmen. Katara and Toph had been running ahead of their group through the halls when they rounded a corner and came face to face with a cluster of waterbenders.

"You didn't want to warn me that there were seven men around the corner?" Katara shouted as she ducked under a thick water whip; the men had wasted no time in attacking.

"I thought we could handle them!" Toph retorted as she bent chunks of marble up from the floor and sent them flying towards the waterbenders.

Katara snorted as she pushed a wave of water back at the man who had thrown it at her. She frowned a second, increased the pressure and overpowered the man's attempt to keep it away. It encased him, and Katara froze it.

Sokka and the rest of the palace guards came around the corner just as Toph sent a series of marble spikes towards a man, one catching him under the arm. The man let out a howl before Sokka jumped forward and hit him upside the head with his elbow.

Katara grimaced as she noted the flow of blood from the man's shoulder. He wouldn't use that arm again. With a shake of her head, she focused on the rest of the benders.

With the help of the guards, Sokka, Toph and Katara incapacitated the Western Tribesmen. Toph bent thick spheres of marble around each man's hands and Sokka ordered two guards to remain and take the benders to separate cells, as had been done with the men the guards had already captured.

"I hope Zuko wasn't too fond of that floor," Toph muttered as they started forward again, "I'm not sure it'll ever be the same.."

Katara glanced back at the marble floor which had large chunks missing, several areas of spikes sticking up, and two new walls.

"I'm sure he won't mind" she said, as they continued down the corridor at a slower pace.

They met the second group of Western Tribesmen just after the Royal Wing, as the men ran into the corridor from another hall.

"Halt!" The young man in the front shouted as he saw Sokka, followed by their small group. The man was really a boy -he looked younger than Aang, really- but he held two whalebone-knives confidently.  
Sokka held up his hand and the guards came to a stop, while Katara and Toph slipped past them to join Sokka.

The young Western Tribesmen's eyes widened when he saw Katara, and a wave of unease rippled over the rest of the tribesmen, all of whom looked to be just as young as the first.

Katara took advantage of their pause and stepped forward.  
"Surrender," she said, looking the first boy in the eye, "We already defeated your comrades. There is no point in fighting now."

The boy scowled, "Yes there is! We fight for the honour of our tribe! We are taking revenge for the wrongs done to us!"

A few of the boys behind him nodded.

"Tell us where Lakkin is, and your fate will be kinder" Sokka stated, gesturing with the sword he had borrowed from on of the guards.

"It is you who should be surrendering," the boy shouted, "We have our leader, and where is yours? Where is your Fire Lord?"  
With that, he made a wild gesture to the boys behind them, and they ran forward.

The guards and Sokka jumped forward, weapons ready, while Katara dragged Toph back to the side. Shoving the earthbender around the nearest corner, Katara demanded over the sounds of battle, "Toph! Can you feel Zuko anywhere near? Or Lakkin?"

Toph frowned, "Well, it's kinda hard to see anything with that racket going on, but give me a sec."

Katara glanced around while Toph lifted one foot and slammed it against the floor. They were close to the bending courtyard, and they still hadn't seen any sign of Aang, Suki or Zuko. They had to-  
Katara stilled. Had that been...?  
Yes! Another tremor ran beneath Katara's feet.

"Didja feel that, Sugarqueen?" Toph asked, "That came from the bending courtyard. It feels like earthbending. Might be Aang-"

Katara shot up. Sokka said that Aang had been with Zuko. She pulled her cloud of water close, wrapping it around her arms, then Katara ran around the corner, diving between the guards and Western Tribesmen who were still fighting.

"Where are you going?!" Sokka cried out as Katara cleared the fighting.  
"Bending courtyard!" Katara yelled without turning around, "Take care of this!"

She didn't hear Sokka's response as she ran down the hall, slipping around the first right corner, then the second left. Katara slowed as she came up to the entrance of the courtyard. Suki was bent over two men.

"Suki!"

"Katara? Oh thank goodness!" Suki grabbed Katara by the arms, looking her up and down before giving her a hug. Pulling back, she said,"We had no idea where you were! What happened? The palace is under attack-"

"I know," Katara interrupted, "Lakkin is what happened to me. What's going on in there?" She gestured at the closed door.

"Zuko and Aang ran in a little while ago. I was taking care of these two."

Zuko is through that door.

Katara took a step forward, but then leapt back as it swung open, and a group of older men staggered through, with Aang the last through, supporting a man.

The door slammed behind the Avatar, followed by a loud rush and then silence.  
"Katara!" Aang exclaimed, setting the man down gently before moving to her side.

Katara looked at the group of men, some of whom sported minor injuries, recognising them as members of Zuko's council.

"Where have you been?" Aang asked.

"Long story," Katara muttered darkly, as she moved around the Avatar and touched the sturdy wooden door that led into the courtyard, "Is Zuko in there?"  
"Yes, and Lakkin."

The wood was cold, and Katara could sense the barrier of ice behind it. Lakkin expected someone to try and barge through that door, and he had made it so he would have plenty of warning if they tried.  
Katara considered melting all the ice away as quickly as she could and then running into the courtyard, but even that would take time...time enough for Lakkin to think of an attack, or hurt Zuko or-

"I should get back in there-" Aang began, but Katara cut him off.

"No. You and Suki take the council members somewhere else. Sokka and Toph are closer to our rooms; they were fighting tribesmen in the hallway. Maybe you can meet them..."

Suki shook her head. "We can't just leave you to go in there by yourself-"

"I'll be fine. You need to secure the council. They are the highest power under Zuko."

She glanced over to see Mashi, the man who had welcomed her to the capitol, brush off his sleeves and nod. He chimed in "You know, we are a rather important bunch of old men. Combined, we have the same authority as the Fire Lord himself."

Suki groaned, and Aang frowned at Katara, who tilted her head towards Mashi as if to say "he has a point".

"Fine," Aang huffed, "But then we're coming back to get you."

Katara nodded, and then waited while Aang and Suki helped up the council members and led them down the hall, and out of sight.

Once they were gone, she pulled a whip of water close to her side, then flung her arm up, sending it up to the dark skylight above her - Zuko had installed them all over the palace- where it pooled.  
Katara lifted her other hand, and slowly, she increased the pressure on the large pane of glass, bending the water against the flat surface until it popped the glass out of it's frame. She cushioned the pane with more water, and bent it softly onto the roof.

Katara constructed an ice ladder, and climbed up through the frame, crawling onto the tiled roof. It was dark, and the air was thick with the promise of rain.  
Katara drew her hands through the air, and pulled out some of the moisture, adding it to her already large supply. Then she made her way over the slow slope of the roof, bending her knees and keeping her hands close to the tiles. She slid over the crest of the roof and came into view of the bending arena.

It was well lit, torches along the walls. She could see the mass of ice that was blocking the door. And in the yard, amid the torn up floor, stood Lakkin and Zuko.  
Katara continued to make her way on the roof, aiming to get behind Lakkin. If she could surprise him, she and Zuko might have a chance-

She paused as she heard her name.

Zuko was talking to Lakkin, but speaking low- she could barely make out what he was saying...

* * *

"You have been responsible for suffering too, Lakkin," Zuko stated, watching the other man as he stood, "Why have you targeted Katara in all this? What do you have to gain for her pain?"

Lakkin's eyes widened before he burst out laughing, his smooth voice ringing off the walls.

Zuko growled softly. He did not like the way Lakkin acted; it reminded him too much of Azula and how she had been near the end- unhinged.

Not that Lakkin had the same sense of insanity Azula had, but he had an edge to him that didn't seem...right.

"Katara gives me leverage over the other Watertribe," Lakkin said, once he stopped laughing, "And there is nothing to gain from hurting her," the waterbender shrugged, "I simply enjoy it."

Zuko stood still, though every inch of him was screaming for action, for Lakkin's blood.

"And she makes this sound, when she chokes, it's almost like the gasp of breath between kisses. It's utterly endearing."

The twin daggers of fire in Zuko's fists flared, growing larger. Lakkin glanced down at them, and chuckled.

"Have you kissed her then? Do you know that sound?" The Waterbender shrugged, "I can't say I'm too pleased with that. I'll have to train her to be a more..."

And that was it.

Zuko jumped forward, swinging one fist up, aiming for the smirk on Lakkin's face. Lakkin ducked, and stumbled back, before grinning and bending a whip of water out of the trough to the right of the yard, lashing it towards Zuko. Zuko twisted just before it hit his side, and Lakkin bent it back towards him again.

Kicking up his left leg, Zuko bent a rush of fire at the water, turning it to steam as the two elements collided. Lakkin burst through the small cloud, running straight for him, an ice dagger each hand.

Throwing up his elbow, Zuko knocked one of Lakkin's fists to the side, then ducked under it and rolled, coming up into a crouch a few yards away.

Lakkin was still smiling. Zuko punched out twice, hurling two fireballs towards the man. He bent up a thin wall of ice, which dissolved immediately, then sent a thin layer of water over the rough ground, reaching for Zuko's feet.

Zuko jumped onto the nearest boulder, and sent a wave of fire around himself with sweep of his right leg. Lakkin ran towards him, leaping onto the nearest rock, and then he jumped for Zuko, bending the cloud of water behind him into a mass of ice spears.

Zuko waited until the last moment, then, just before Lakkin and his spears hit him, he crumpled, sliding down the rock, as he reached up and grabbed Lakkin's ankle, jerking the other man down.

Zuko landed on his feet, but Lakkin fell onto his side, hitting the jagged ground with a hiss. Without hesitating, Zuko thrust his fist down at Lakkin's unprotected chest, bending a wave of fire along with it. Before his fist made contact, Zuko jerked back. His body had moved without-

Lakkin pulled himself up, and twisted his hands out in front of himself.  
Zuko held back a groan as he was thrown into the boulder he had just stood on.

_Bloodbending!_

Zuko blinked as pain rain through his back, and then tried to pull his limbs free of the strange hold they were in. It felt as though his blood was now supporting him.

He was turned, and Lakkin walked forward to face Zuko. He twisted his hands again, and Zuko let out a curse as his body was lifted several feet above the ground, his feet dangling uselessly and his arms stuck to his sides.

Lakkin was no longer grinning.

"I am tired of this," he said, glancing down at the bloodstain on a small section of his shirt, "Fire Lord Zuko, you and your forefathers have dealt poorly with my people. You have imprisoned us, enslaved us, deemed us as nonthreatening and then you dared to ignore us. We will not remain in the shadows any longer. We will right the wrongs done to our tribe, and to the world. Your time of judgement has come."

Zuko tried to struggle as Lakkin raised him higher into the air, but even his mouth would not open. He could only stare as Lakkin talked.

"I sentence you to death, for your own sins, and those of the entire Fire Nation."

Lakkin grinned crookedly as he watched Zuko hang in agony, frozen in midair, "I'll be sure to tell Katara how you died, how I drained of all your blood until you were nothing but a husk."

Zuko glared into Lakkin's eyes, then shut his own. If he was going to die, he would do it with the image of Katara in his mind. Katara as she stood among the blushing-snow flowers, in the garden, her hair around her shoulders and-

Zuko felt a harder pull on his blood, and he furrowed his brows, shutting his eyes tighter, and grabbing on to that image of Katara with all his strength.

Lakkin continued, "Shall I tell her that you begged me at the-"

A piercing howl rang out through the courtyard. Zuko snapped his eyes open just as the hold on his blood gave way.

He fell to ground, landing on his knees. Wincing, Zuko looked up to see Lakkin shout as a dark shape flung itself off the near rooftop, and crash into the other man.

Lakkin went down, but rolled before his attacker pinned him down. As he came up from his roll, and his attacker spun to face him, Zuko's eyes widened.

"What was it you wanted to tell me, Lakkin?" Katara demanded, bending a massive cloud of water from the trough, to rest at her side.


	26. Chapter 26

Here it is. Another chapter.

Thanks to JonathanByers11, my fantastic Beta- he's been a real help!

Hope you enjoy! I had a ton of fun writing this chapter.

….

Katara howled the cry of her people in battle.

She then jumped, paying no heed to the long drop or the even longer distance between her and Lakkin. She had made her way around the roof to see Lakkin bloodbend Zuko into the air, and then threaten to kill him.

The air rushed past her ears as she fell onto Lakkin, knocking the man to the ground. Lakkin rolled out from under her before she could waterbend ice around him, and he came up into a crouch a few yards away from her. Katara pulled a wave of water out of the trough along the wall of the courtyard, and tightened it into a cloud by her side.

He had tried to kill Zuko. He had almost-

Her voice, low and fierce startled even her as she demanded, "What was it you wanted to tell me, Lakkin?"

Lakkin's eyes widened as he stared at Katara.

"You're supposed to be in the city!" He finally said, glancing over at Zuko who had risen to his feet again. Katara refused to look at Zuko; she had to focus on the threat before she could make sure Zuko was alright.

"I'm here," she growled, "And this ends now, Lakkin. Your attempt has failed. The palace is secure, your men are captured, and the Avatar is returning soon."

Lakkin's jaw tightened as Katara continued, "And if you don't surrender, then I will happily beat you into the ground and wait for Aang to come and take away your bending. You deserve that, if not more."

"I deserve? Katara, the Fire Nation has been at the root of every problem our world has faced in the past 100 years. I'm just trying to avenge my people." Lakkin straightened a little, and spread his hands in a supplicating gesture. "I know your tribe has suffered, that you have suffered at the hands of the Fire Nation as well. We could-"

"You've been doing the most harm lately, Lakkin," Zuko interrupted, inching over to stand closer to Katara, "It seems that your way of rectifying wrongs involves manipulating, threatening and lying your way towards your goals. And it has to stop. Surrender. Now."

Zuko had finally reached Katara's side, a reassuring, solid presence at her left. She spared a half-second to glance over at him, and despite new bruises she saw forming, and the dishevelment of both his hair and clothes, he looked well enough- he looked alive.  
She looked back at Lakkin just in time to see him narrow his eyes, and tense his shoulders. He sprung, flying forward and knocking Katara to the ground before Zuko could move. In the next instant, he was off her, and Katara blinked in shock before leaping up to her feet, shaking her head to clear it of its ringing.

Lakkin had darted over to the nearest water trough and was crouched in a defensive position, eyeing both Katara and Zuko.

"Are you okay?" Zuko muttered as he placed a restraining arm on Katara's wrist- she wanted to attack Lakkin now.

"I'm fine," she hissed back, "Zuko, I need to take him down. He needs to-"

"We need to take him down," Zuko interrupted, "Let me help with this. Katara-" his hand wandered down to her wrist, and she gave it a quick squeeze before she nodded.

Katara dropped Zuko's hand, and raising her arms, she bent a thick water whip low along the ground, towards Lakkin. He slashed down and broke the stream of water, pulling some up, and sending a geyser back towards her.

Zuko had split from her side, and was sprinting towards Lakkin, heading for Lakkin's left. He bent a fireball ahead of him, and Lakkin barely made an ice wall in time to stop the fire. It didn't stop Zuko though, who crashed through the ice, and would have landed right on top of Lakkin had the other man not stumbled back to steps.

Zuko kicked out and sent a burst of flame towards Lakkin, who doused it with a wave from the trough. Katara ran forward, and bent an ice dagger into each hand. She went straight for Lakkin, and dodged another geyser he sent her way. As she ducked, she came close enough to sweep her leg towards Lakkin's feet. He jumped just before she made contact, but as he was unstable she jabbed out with her left hand, aiming for Lakkin's face.

Lakkin shouted and snapped his neck to the side, Katara's knife slicing a hair's breadth away from his cheek. Twisting down, and then feigning to the right, Lakkin ducked towards Katara's left, ending us close to her side. he punched out, and she dodged, once, twice- with a sickening thud, Lakkin's fist made contact just under her ribs. Gasping, Katara stepped back.

And Zuko ran forward. Coming in where Katara had just left, he high-kicked, catching Lakkin in the shoulder. The water bender flailed back, then sent a hail of sharp ice pellets towards Zuko. He ducked, and Katara tried to bend them away, but a few reach Zuko's face, pelting him and leaving small, angry red gashes.

Katara dashed forward again, bending a whip around her left she sent it hurtling towards Lakkin. It caught him square in the chest, and Lakkin staggered back. Zuko sent a volley of fire bursts at the man, and though Lakkin slashed each to the side with a wave of water, the water on his clothes dried as the heat around him intensified.

Zuko stopped his barrage, and Lakkin stood there, breathing heavily and glancing between to the two of the with wild eyes. Katara looked over to Zuko, who was glaring at Lakkin, while still holding his hands up at the ready for more bending.

"Give up, Lakkin," Katara called out, "We clearly out match you. You can't beat both of us."

Lakkin snarled, "Then I guess I'll have to dispose with one of you."

With that, he lifted his hands in a flick, and Zuko gave a shout. Katara turned as Zuko fell to the ground, his body twisted at an odd angle. Lakkin was bloodbending again.

She started towards Lakkin, but he snickered cruelly, "One wrong step and I'll snap his neck."

Katara froze and lowered her hands to her sides.

"Very good, now stay," Lakkin commanded and he bent Zuko along the floor. Katara jerked as she heard Zuko moan in pain.

Lakkin tsked again, and then Katara gaped in horror as Lakkin bent Zuko's body into the air, and then down, with a dull thud, into the water trough near his side.

Katara started to jump forward, but Lakkin shouted "Careful, Katara! I wouldn't want to see how long the Fire Lord can hold his breath, would you?"

Katara stared at the water trough; she could see Zuko's back, but Lakkin was bending him under the water.

Lakkin smiled at her, a mockery of amusement, then lifted Zuko out of the water. The other man took in a deep, shuddering gasp, then started to swear a blue streak at Lakkin. Lakkin dropped him into the trough again, saying "That's not very polite for-"

He was cut off as Katara ran forward and lept onto Lakkin's back, encircling her arms around the man's neck. Lakkin bent back, and dropped his hands from his bending, trying to get a hold of Katara. She jerked her legs back and forth, messing with Lakkin's balance. As he leaned back, Katara set one foot against a rock, and pushed, sending them both over onto her.

Katara yelled as rocks dug into her back, and Lakkin tumbled onto her, his weight pushing her into the ground. Before she caught her breath, Lakkin had rolled off her, and was coming up a little ways away.  
Katara rolled onto her side, and then onto her knees in time to see Zuko climb out of the trough and run towards her. He reached her side, and Katara turned to Lakkin, who was rubbing his neck and glaring at them.

"I'm sick of this playing," Lakkin finally said, an edge to his smooth voice, "Fire Lord, surrender. Place your hands on you head and keep them there."

"Why should he, Lakkin?" Katara demanded, "We've proven that you can't handle both of us. "

"Let's seem, then, about Zuko's strength of will," Lakkin said, tilting his head to one side, and staring at Katara.  
Katara stared back, and began to say "Lakkin, you have-"

And then nothing came out.

Katara felt the familiar pressure on her throat, and her hands flew up to try and pull on the necklace. It did no good.

NOT NOW! Not when we're so close to finishing this! I can't let Lakkin win- he's completely-

"Katara!" Zuko shouted, reaching out to grasp her shoulder as she fell onto her knees. Black spots were starting to obscure her vision, but through the ringing in her ears, she heard Zuko yell "Let her go! You're killing her!"

The ringing was louder now, "Put your hands on your head and surrender, and she lives."

Katara tried to shake her head, but she couldn't do anything as she slumped to the floor. She couldn't see anything now. This time felt different, Lakkin wasn't playing with her. He would kill her.

A hand brushed her neck, and Katara faintly heard Zuko murmur "Katara, do you trust me?"

She stared blindly forward, but nodded, as much as she could.

A wave of heat hit her neck, and encircled it, causing just as much pain as the necklace had. It was excruciating. Katara gasped, and then screamed her hands clawing at the flames around her neck.  
And then it stopped, and Katara quieted.

She had screamed. She had gasped.

Katara drew in a huge breath, and blinked as her eyesight cleared. Zuko was kneeling next to her, his hand at her collar.

Spreading her fingers out, Katara felt nothing but hot, burned skin at her fingertips.

The necklace was gone.

Zuko had burned it off.

The burn at her throat was still painful, but Katara sat up with a jerk, and looked at Lakkin, who was gaping at the two of them.

'That's impossible," he whispered, "How did you-"

Zuko stood and pulled Katara to her feet. She looked up to his battered face, and Zuko caught her eye. She nodded.

They both jumped forward.

Katara, pulling a wave of water out of the trough that Zuko had just inhabited, bent a whip at Lakkin's right, keeping it tight to her side. Zuko, swung around to the left, and kicked a low spurt of fire towards Lakkin's feet, following the fire with another kick. As Zuko's hit landed, knocking Lakkin's feet out from under him, Katara jumped on Lakkin, pushing his chest into the ground, and freezing his arms, chest and neck in a solid block of ice. Zuko stepped back, and she finished encasing the rest of his body, until Lakkin lay prone on the floor, his face the only part of him mobile.

Lakkin spat out a curse as Katara and Zuko looked down on him.

"We need to watch him until Aang can come and secure him properly," Zuko said, pulling Katara closer to him. She leaned against his side, and stared down at Lakkin, before running her hands along the tender skin at her neck.

"Thank you" she whispered, her hand reaching out to find Zuko's, "You saved my life."

"You did too, "Zuko tightened his grip on her hand, "And besides, that necklace really didn't suit you at all. The colour was all wrong."

Katara twisted her head to stare up at Zuko, who looked down, completely serious but for a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Katara laughed. She laughed in front of the man who had made her life a living hell, and she laughed with the man who had helped to guide her out of it.

She was still laughing when Aang burst in through the door, bending the ice away, followed by a yelling Sokka, a determined Suki and a scowling Toph. And Zuko laughed with her.


	27. Chapter 27

Hello my darling readers!

I return with yet another update. Fair warning: this story isn't over yet, so don't think I'm wrapping everything up in the next two chapters! I have a few more…. tricks up my sleeves.

Thanks to my marvellous Beta, JonathanByers11!

Hope you enjoy, leave comments and share this with friends!

See you next chapter.

...

Zuko woke up very slowly, shifting around his bed for awhile, delaying the inevitable, before stretching, and then slowly blinking open his eyes reluctantly; he had been having a good dream for the first time in many weeks.

He rolled onto his side and then sat up, rubbing his face. His room was still dark and his windows weren't covered by drapes, so that meant it was early. There was a small hint of grey at the horizon, but it would be awhile before the sun was up full force.

Zuko got up with a grimace, groaning at the uncomfortable pulls and protests his body gave him. He had acquired an impressive array of wounds during his fight with Lakkin.

Not knowing what else might help, Zuko took a bath, heating the water to an almost unbearable temperature. The hot water worked wonders on his soreness, and when he finally climbed out of his bath, Zuko felt like a new person.

After throwing on some loose pants and a tunic, he popped his head out of his doors and caught the eye of his guard, Lio. The young man came to attention as Zuko padded out of his room in his barefeet.

"I'm going to the kitchens to find something to eat," Zuko said, ignoring the look of astonishment that crosses Lio's face. "If anyone stops by looking for me, tell them that's where I'll be."

With that, Zuko continued down the hall, his feet making no sound on the cool granite. He knew his way to the kitchens well; he often took his meals down in the warm kitchens, where the bustle of work couldn't be paused, even for the Fire Lord. The head cook had a soft spot for Zuko, as he had secured her daughter a position working for one of the wives of his advisors. The motherly woman always had something for Zuko when he walked into her domain.

Zuko stopped in front of the doors that led to the kitchens and listened to the sounds of dishes clanking, pots being cleaned, and the overtone of happy conversation. After smoothing his hair back from his face, he opened the door and walked in.

The kitchen workers were busy with their own tasks, but if they noticed his presence, they would give him a quick bob of the head before returning to their duties. Zuko wove his way through the mass of bodies and multiple rooms until he came to the heart of the kitchen, where Paina, the head cook, stood over a bowl of rice, demanding her subordinate to fetch some pepper.

When she saw him, Paina grinned, and after wiping her hands on her apron, she walked over to him and grabbed his chin.

Turning his head side to side, she finally said, " I see that the excitement two nights ago didn't ruin your pretty face."

Zuko smiled down at the woman as she dropped his chin and walked around him, inspecting him head to toe. Paina adopted him long ago, and she took her duties very seriously. Once, after he had been in a training accident that had landed him with a broken wrist, she had stormed up to his rooms and scolded him thoroughly.

"You must be famished," Paina said, pulling Zuko over to sit at the center island in the kitchen.

"From what I've heard, you've been pretty busy the past 36 hours," the head cook continued to talk as she bustled around, putting together a dish, "and I doubt that you've had much to eat in all that time."

Zuko settled himself down on a stool, and Paina placed the plate, full of curried vegetables, rice, and roasted meat, next to his elbow and handed him a fork.

"Eat," the older woman said, before turning back to her work.

Zuko did, and he relished the hot food. He hadn't really had much to eat since two nights ago. He'd been busy wading through the mess Lakkin had made.

After Aang, Suki, Sokka, and Toph had burst into the bending yard, things fell apart. Sokka practically jumped on his sister, frantic with worry as he saw her wounds. Suki and Toph busied themselves with rounding the few Western Tribesmen that had been unconscious at the other end of the bending courtyard - Aang had done a really good job of taking them out.

Aang had gone straight to Zuko and listened patiently as Zuko explained as much as he could, condemning Lakkin's actions. The Avatar bent restraints of stone around Lakkin's wrists and feet, only after knocking the man out with a swift kick to the temple; Lakkin had kept up a steady stream of cursing and crazed threats up until that moment.

Soon after the gang burst into the yard, a squad of soldiers ran in. Zuko commanded them to take care of the Western Tribesmen, securing them in the castles holding cells. He gave specific orders concerning Lakkin, who was taken to a solitary cell, and kept in his earthen bounds until his fate was decided.

After the Western Tribesmen had been escorted out, Zuko had tried to talk to Katara, but she was monopolised by Sokka, Suki and Aang, all of whom were demanding that she explain what had happened. Sokka was particularly interested in Katara's burn on her neck and her distinct lack of the betrothal necklace.

Katara pled exhaustion, and Sokka informed everyone that he was going to escort Katara back to her rooms. Aang and Suki followed, and Zuko suddenly was left in the courtyard with Toph.

The young earthbender had made her way to Zuko and gave him a light punch on the shoulder.

"You did alright, your Sparkiness," Toph had said, "but I bet you'll have a ton of crap to clean up after this whole fiasco."

Zuko had groaned and nodded. The political implications this attack would have - it gave him a headache just thinking about it.

"Well, I can help you with at least one thing," Toph said, and then she twisted her feet into the ground, and raised her arms. With a loud rumble and some flying stones, Toph bent the surface of the courtyard floor smooth and whole.

Zuko watched the process in silent admiration; Toph had made the floor look better than it had before.

"Thanks, Toph," he finally had said, after the last stone had sunk itself into the ground. "It looks great."

"Not a problem," she answered with a grin. "It's probably the easiest fix you'll have for a while."

And she had been right.

The entire night and day after he and Katara defeated Lakkin, Zuko was locked in political meetings. He first met with his council, making sure each advisor was alive and well and willing to continue helping him through this new mess. After they suggested how to make reparations to the visiting representatives, Zuko met with members of each nation, extending his deepest apologies for the disturbance, and explaining that the Western Tribe was responsible for the attack. He had to present a strong front, even as he struggled against exhaustion and irritation.

The hardest meeting had been with Sokka and Suki, who represented the Water Tribe. The other water tribesmen, who journeyed from the Northern City, listened as Zuko explained the basics of what had happened, but Sokka and Suki stayed after the other representatives left.

Sokka was still furious about being kept out of the loop with the entire Lakkin issue. And he voiced it. Despite Suki's attempt to calm him, Sokka had shouted at Zuko for a good ten minutes before Zuko could even try to defend himself. Sokka then raged that Katara hadn't even told them the whole story yet because she was so tired she had been sleeping for hours.

Zuko, finally sick of Sokka's verbal abuse, excuse himself, telling Sokka, "When you've heard everything from your sister, then you may come and yell at me. Until then, I have better things to do than listen to your temper tantrums."

He had left and spent the rest of the day in conferences with his advisors and generals. The majority of his men believed it would be best to prepare for a possible war with the Western Tribe, and Zuko agreed. He did not, however, condone an attack on the Western Tribe's islands. Zuko preferred to wait for aggression from an enemy before attacking, at least when the safety of his people was at risk. He would not instigate a war.

HIs generals didn't argue this point, and Zuko finally made his way to his rooms after a night and a day of meetings, political placating, and headaches. He had flopped down on his bed, fully clothed, and fell asleep almost instantly, but for the thought that he needed to see Katara as soon as possible.

"Do you want more?" Paina interrupted Zuko's thoughts as she spied his empty plate.

Zuko shook his head, but accepted a cup of tea. He sat and observed the comings and goings of the kitchen staff, amazed at how unfazed they seemed by the recent events. He knew that the fighting hadn't gotten to the kitchen, but still, he'd've thought that the staff would be a little uneasy.

Zuko finished his tea, thanked Paina, and made his way out of the kitchen. He walked, barefooted, back to his rooms, not seeing anyone but a maid on his way. It seemed that the rest of his guests did not have the same confidence his staff did.

Zuko nodded to Lio as he entered his room, and changed into more formal clothing, pausing to pull his hair back into a low tail before he strode out his rooms.  
He was going to see Katara.

* * *

"I can't believe you wrote to him!"

Katara barely formed the words before Sokka burst out, "Well, what was I SUPPOSED to do? I, at least, tell Dad what's going on in my life. If someone was blackmailing me, threatening my people and ABUSING me I wouldn't hesitate to tell Dad what was going on! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, KATARA?"

Folding her hands on her lap, Katara watched as Sokka jumped up from his floor cushion and began pacing in her room. She had told Sokka and Suki the entirety of Lakkin's threats and abuse the night she and Zuko fought him, but she had begged them to let her go to be as soon as she was done; she had been beyond tired, and all she could think about at that point was sleep. She'd woken this morning to sun rise shining on her face, and Sokka sitting on her floor, with the news that he had written Hakoda and sent a messenger hawk to the Water Tribe.

"Sokka, you should've let me handle this."

"You've tried that, Katara, and look where it got you. Look at you!" Sokka made a gesture at Katara's neck, and she self-consciously wrapped her robe tighter, trying to hide the faint scar that had taken the place of Lakkin's necklace; she hadn't been able to heal herself completely, and at the time, she hadn't been sure she wanted to erase the mark.

Straightening, she stared Sokka in the eye.

"Sokka, I know you're angry, but try to see this from my point of view. Lakkin was so charming and kind to everyone, that it seemed impossible he would hurt me. Remember how you said that he was someone you would be proud to call your brother? He fooled me, he fooled you, he fooled everyone for so long. And then, when he changed, he was threatening our people. I couldn't let anyone get hurt because of me, Sokka, I've seen enough pain to last me lifetimes. If you or Dad had heard what he was doing, if you had even believed me, what would you have done? Gone to war? Murdered Lakkin, and gained the hate of the Western Tribe? I couldn't let that happen. I had to figure this out on my own, and even though it didn't go well, I'm still happier with this ending than with any other options."

With that, she looked down to her hands and tapped her thumbs as the silence stretched out for what seemed like forever. She finally heard Sokka heave a great sigh and crouch next to her on the floor.

She looked over to him, and Sokka looked her right in the eye.

"Katara, I'm not really mad at you. I'm mad at myself, because I should've noticed something was wrong. It shouldn't have been Zuko that you confided in, it should've been your family, and I'm so, so sorry that you didn't think you could trust us to do the right thing. Katara," Sokka reached out, grasped Katara's shoulders, and pulled her up to stand in front of him, "I love you more than anything, and I can't bear the thought that you suffered as you did."

Sokka cleared his throat, searched her face, then asked, "Will you forgive me for not protecting you? For not doing the thing a brother should have?"

Katara blinked, then nodded. Sokka sighed, then grabbed her into a tight hug. Katara's eyes widened as Sokka squeezed her, her ribs protesting.

Sokka released her and wiped his eyes quickly. Katara gave him a small smile, and Sokka gave her one in return.

A knock sounded at her door, and Sokka turned to see Suki's head peep through the doorway.

"Is it safe to come in now?" she asked.

Sokka laughed quietly, and nodded. Suki entered, followed by Mina, who was bearing a tray full of covered dishes. Food! Katara's stomach gave a loud rumble, and they all burst into laughter and settled down around the low table while Mina placed the food out.

Suki wanted to know what they had talked about, and Katara and Sokka speculated how long it would take for Hakoda to make his way to the Fire Nation after he got Sokka's message. After they had all eaten their fill, Sokka and Suki filed out, leaving Katara to take a long bath, change into a clean linen dress, and have a cup of tea.

When she reached the dregs of her cup, she stood, stretched, and headed out her door. She was tired of her room, and she wanted to walk somewhere-anywhere.  
Katara started on the route to the library, but paused as she passed the hallway that led to Zuko's office. After giving looking around, she darted down his hallway and up to his door. It was shut, and she hesitantly knocked twice.

Nothing.

She had just raised her hand to knock again, when she heard a soft cough. Whirling around, she found Zuko standing in the hallway, staring at her.

"Umn, hi, Zuko," Katara stuttered softly.

"Hello, Katara. It's nice to see you up."

She nodded.

"You're looking well rested," Zuko began, walking up to Katara and the door.

"So are you," she murmured, a little overwhelmed as he came up right next to her, his side touching hers as he leaned over and opened his office's door.

Zuko motioned her in, and Katara entered the bright room, squinting at the large window that let sunlight stream. Turning around, she watched as Zuko went over to the couch along the side of one wall and sat down rather sloppily, letting his feet fly out beneath him and his head fall onto the back of the couch.

Zuko did look well, at least for someone who had recently fought for his life. He was wearing casual clothes, a warm grey tunic and claytoned pants. There was some bruising on his face, and as Katara looked him over, she noticed more small wounds and bruises.

"What are you looking at?" Zuko asked quietly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, Zuko," Katara said, coming over to the couch and sitting down a little more neatly than the Fire Lord had, "I take back what I said earlier. You look a bit beat up. Would you mind if I healed the rest of your injuries?"

Zuko looked surprised for a moment, then demanded, "It wouldn't make you tired or be a struggle, would it? Because if it would be, I'm fine. I don't need you wearing yourself out for me."

Zuko ended and gave her a stern look. Katara held his gaze for a second, then shrugged.

"I'm fine, Zuko. Besides, you're making me uncomfortable, with all your cuts and bruises. Just looking at you is... painful." She grinned at Zuko's affronted face. "I mean, aren't you supposed to be the epitome of charisma, grace and nobility? I'm not sure I can take you seriously, with all your..." she trailed off and made a vague motion at his front.

"Well, if the validity of my position is at risk, then by all means." Zuko leaned back and closed his eyes. Katara watched him for a moment, confused, when Zuko cracked open an eye and said, "I'm waiting, and waiting isn't something a water tribe peasant should make a Fire Lord do."

Zuko closed his eye again, and Katara grinned, glancing around the room for water. She spotted a pitcher on Zuko's desk and bent the water to her, wrapping it around her left hand, then her right. She then closed her eyes and centered herself, drawing up her desire to ease the pain around her. It seemed to be the thing that let her heal, this desire, and whenever she healed, she had only to focus on this want in order to complete her task.

With a deep breath, she turned to Zuko and began. Running her hands over his arm, she soothed the small wounds away, restoring the balance of the body, easing away the bruises where blood gathered. She let her hands hover down his leg, pausing in the places where things seemed out of sorts. Then, she moved around Zuko, who was still laying back with his eyes close, and worked on the other side, checking and healing where it was needed.

She started up his neck, her hands skimming along the lines of his throat, clearing scratches away. Reaching his jaw line, she hesitated. Zuko's eyes flew open, and they found hers. Katara felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she continued to heal the minor injuries Zuko had accumulated. She finished, sent the water into a plant near the couch, and let her hands drop to her lap.  
Zuko raised his hands to his face and gingerly felt it. He grinned.

"Thanks," he said, patting his arms and legs, "I feel as good as new."

"I'm glad to help," Katara answered, giving her shoulders a shrug, "and I definitely owe you a great debt."

Zuko stiffened by her side, and Katara watched as his face hardened. She shifted as Zuko locked his eyes on hers and demanded, "Don't think you owe me anything, Katara. I didn't do anything I did out of a want for repayment in the future. I did it for you, and I wouldn't change anything I have done."

She leaned heavily against the back of the couch and twined her fingers together.

"Then, thank you, Zuko. Thank you for all you've done for me, and my people." Katara fell silent as she felt the weight of Zuko's help upon her shoulders. Even if he said that he didn't count it as a debt, she still felt as if she had to do something for him, to show him her appreciation, her l-

"It was no trouble-" he began, but Katara cut him off with a sharp laugh.

"Fine," he admitted with a crooked grin, "it was a bit of a hassle to catch the bad guy this time around, but we managed, and now we can relax."

"Until the Western Tribe shows up in your port, demanding retribution."

"Nah, they shouldn't be too much of an issue. I've got the Master Katara to give me a hand if anything goes awry. If they show up, I'll let her handle things, while I lounge in my palace, tucked away in the volcano."

Chuckling, Katara leaned into Zuko's shoulder and gave his side a jab with her elbow.

"Careful," she said in a low tone, "Your Master Waterbender might take offense if you take her for granted."

Zuko jerked his head over to look at her, his face a study of consternation. Katara held her face in a stern mask for as long as she could, but then her nose twitched, and she giggled. Zuko sighed and jabbed her back, hitting her upper arm.

They sat on the couch for awhile, moving between small jokes and companionable silence. Finally, Zuko stood up with a groan and stated that he needed to work on some paper work. Grumbling about the demands of royalty, he made his way over to his desk, all three yards away, and sat down on his stool, scowling at the stack of documents in front of him.

Katara was content to watch Zuko work for some time, but then a book on the floor caught her eye, and picking it up, she lost herself in the farming techniques of Terrace farming.

She was pouring over the efficiencies of irrigation, when Zuko shifted in his seat, and gave a huge sigh.

She lifter her head to find Zuko rubbing his forehead, and Katara set her book down in order to walk over to Zuko's desk.

"What was that sigh for?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing, really," Zuko muttered, "It's just that this conference hasn't really been a success. I had hoped-" he let his hand fall to his desk- "I had hoped that this would mark the beginning of better relations between nations, and now we have the threat of another way looming over our head, with the Western Tribe."

Katara leaned against Zuko' desk, and absentmindedly picked up a sheet of paper as she said, "Well, it was out of your control. I mean, it's really my fault, this whole mess with the Western Tribe; if I hadn't been so naive with Lakkin, none of this would've happened."

Zuko made a noise of protest, but Katara continued, "I bet that if I hadn't accepted your invitation, you wouldn't have to deal with all of this."

"But then you wouldn't be here."

"I seem to be bringing you a lot of trouble, here."

"I don't mind trouble," Zuko insisted quietly, "Not as long as you're around to share it."

Katara started, then found herself suddenly very interested with the paper in her hands. She was pretty sure her cheeks had lit up like a beacon.

Zuko pulled the sheet of paper down from her face, and raised his eyebrows.

"What's that you're reading, that has so caught your attention?"

Katara stammered, and skimmed her eyes over the sheet of paper, which she had simply been using as a shield, "It looks like plan for a garden in the capitol."

"You found it!" Zuko stood up with his exclamation, and whipped the sheet out of her hands, "I've been looking for this paper for weeks. My desk has this habit of hiding my documents from me. I just recently lost some specifics for trade agreements between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom."

Katara eyed Zuko's desk, which was a study in haphazard piles of paper, strewn across its surface, and wasn't really surprised.

"Would you like me to try and find it?" she asked, tentatively.

Zuko's eyes lit up and he grinned, nodding.

After two hours spent organising piles of papers into more piles, trying to find drawers to put the piles in, and then labeling these drawers, Katara regretted her offer to help. Her hands sported more paper cuts than she had thought possible to acquire.

"This looks amazing, Katara!" Zuko grinned as he ran his fingers over the clear surface of his desk.

"It wasn't too bad once I got going," Katara said, trying to ignore the smarting cuts on her hands, "But really, Zuko, how do you run a country when you can't keep track of documents on your desk?"

Zuko reached up to brush his hair back, and sheepishly admitted, "My council members usually are pretty on top of things that need to be done. And it hasn't been this while in a really long time. Things just got out of hand with the conference and all."

"I found the official document that named you Fire Lord" Katara deadpanned.

"Oh," Zuko's face fell instantly, "I didn't know that was still around. I should probably hand that over to the record keepers. Where did you put it?"

Holding back a smile, Katara opened one of the drawers on Zuko's desk, and flipped through a couple important looking papers before pulling out the thick sheet of paper.

"Wow," Zuko muttered under his breath, "I thought I had lost this."

Turning to her, Zuko smiled widely and said, "I could kiss you, for finding this, now they can actually prove I'm entitled to the job."

Katara stopped paying attention to his words after Zuko said "kiss", and instead, her gaze dropped to his mouth. It quirked to the side, and Katara blinked as Zuko interrupted her train of thought.

"Katara, are you okay? You looked a thousand miles away just now."

She coughed, then shook her head.

"Nope, I'm fine. Maybe a little tired. I better get back to my rooms. I know Sokka is still freaking out over what's happened, and actually, I'm still freaking out. I haven't had much time to process things. I just fell asleep, and then woke up to Sokka yelling, and then I ran into you, and then the desk happened and now I'm-"

Katara knew she was rambling, but she couldn't seem to stop. She had been daydreaming about Zuko kissing her! She was almost out of breath, but if she stopped now, she might die from embarrassment-

Zuko lifted his hand and cut her off with a two fingers to her lips. Katara stilled in an instant, and she tried to collect herself as she stepped back from Zuko's touch.

"Sorry," she finally said quietly, "I guess I'm still a bit wound up from everything."

Zuko gave her an odd look, but then nodded.

"Would you like to go back to your rooms?" he asked, taking a few steps away from his desk, "I could escort you back..."

He trailed off as Katara shook her head. She didn't need Zuko to bring her back to her rooms, she needed time away from the firebender, to figure out what was wrong with her. And she really couldn't think when Zuko was around. He was... distracting.

"I'll just let myself out" she stated, starting for the door.

"Wait."

Katara turned to find Zuko staring at her, his brows pulled together.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked, his voice low and serious, "I mean, you seem alright, but I just want to make sure you're okay after..." he ended with a gesture of his hands.

"I'm fine, Zuko. Thanks. I'm maybe a little tired still."

A little tired, and a lot confused, she silently amended as she gave Zuko one last smile, and walked out his door.  
Katara made her way back to her rooms slowly, mulling over her time with Zuko; she enjoyed spending time with him, his company was easy and he'd changed over the years, from the angry prince he had been when she first encountered him, to the capable and caring Fire Lord he was now.

She just liked to be with him, she tried to reason with herself, Like Aang and Toph. I like to spend time with my friends. Katara found herself missing the easy companionship they had shared after she had told Zuko about Lakkin, though she shoved out the thought that that companionship had included kissing Zuko a few times...

As she entered her rooms, Katara pushed all thoughts of kissing out of her head and flopped onto her gigantic bed, deciding that a nap would be appreciated.


	28. Chapter 28

**Well, here's another update!**

**(Finally) **

**Sheesh, you'd think I was a college student, wading my way through classes and a job and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life with the way I've been sporadically adding chapters. **_**Oh wait.**_

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter- it's a bit fluffy, but I liked writing it. A huge thank you to my wonderful beta, JonathanByers11! He's the best.**

'**til next time!**

Katara's nap didn't go well.

First, she twisted around her covers, trying to escape the oppressive heat. Then, she threw her covers off, and tried to lie still for as long as possible, praying sleep would find her if she was patient enough. It didn't.

Finally, she sat up with a huff, and crawled off her bed. If sleep wouldn't help calm her thoughts, maybe a book would.

Katara picked up a book from the stack she kept near her floor cushions, and attempted to lose herself in old Fire Nation folklore. And while the tale of the Teng and the Five Wells of Night was fascinating, she couldn't lose herself in the pages like she usually could. Sighing, Katara set the book aside and slouched on her cushion.

Why was she so uneasy?! The worst was behind her!

Katara started to pick at the fringe on the cushion next to her.

She had no reason to still be this tense. Lakkin was locked up. The Western Tribesmen were secured, and they hadn't heard anything from the Western Isles. Sokka now knew about the whole debacle, and he hadn't disowned her for not telling him the truth from the start. Katara hadn't seen Aang or Toph in the past 24 hours, but she was pretty sure they weren't holding grudges either- well, knowing Toph...

And Zuko had fulfilled his promise to help her. Katara hadn't really doubted him, but now that Lakkin was locked up, she was left with a strange sense of-

"This is ridiculous!" She shouted into the empty room. "Why am I feeling... Why can't I just-"

Katara grabbed the fringed pillow and threw it at the wall. The dull thud it made upon impact didn't make her feel any better.

Katara stood up quickly. She needed something to do, or she might just throw everything in her room at the wall.

After jamming her shoes onto her feet, Katara walked with purpose out of her room, through the West Wing and out of the side entrance of the Palace. She made her way around the gardens, and ended up at the palace stables.

After to pausing to ask a guard directions, Katara hurried to Appa's barn.

The flying bison was munching on a pile of fresh hay, thumping his tail gently as Katara entered the large space.

"Hello, Appa," she called, coming to stop at the creatures head, "You look like you would appreciate a good brushing."

Appa blinked slowly at her, then lowered his head.

"I'll take that as a yes," Katara muttered as she glanced around for a brush. Spotting one propped against the feed trough, she grabbed it, and climbed up Appa's back; when brushing a flying bison, it was always best to work from the top down.

Appa made a hum of contentment as Katara started running the brush through his fur, and Katara settled into an easy rhythm of brushing. The task didn't require much thought, but it kept her hands busy and Katara hummed to herself as she worked.

The barn itself was spacious and light, and she couldn't help but admire the skylights as she slid down from the bison's back and began to brush his lower half.

"You know, Appa," she murmured as she tried to brush around one enormous leg, "I think I'd rather stay in your barn. My rooms are too stuffy. And they have gold-plating on the walls. Who puts gold on the wall?"

Appa snorted, and Katara moved on to another leg.

"Katara?"

Whipping around, Katara found Aang standing at the entrance of the barn.

"Hi Aang!" She called out in a voice that was a little too cheery.

The Avatar walked over to where Katara was, and pulled the brush out of her hands.

"Is something the matter?" Aang as he set the brush against a post, then turned to study Katara.

"Nothing's the matter, except that you've taken away my brush," Katara gave the younger man a bright smile, "I was just giving Appa some attention."

"I brushed him this morning."

"Oh." Katara gave the hay at her feet a small kick.

"Katara," Aang said, reaching out and touching her shoulder, "Are you really okay? I know the past few days have been hard-"

She couldn't help herself: Katara snorted. Aang froze, and Katara wished she could take the small noise back.

"Alright," Aang finally said, crossing his legs and settling down into the hay at his feet, "What was that for? Come on-" he insisted, grabbing Katara's arm and pulling her down to join him, ignoring her stiffness, "Tell me what's the matter."

Katara brushed at a piece of hay on her dress, and Aang leaned over and placed his hand on hers."Katara. Don't you trust me? Tell me what's wrong?"

The younger man's persistence paid off, and Katara exhaled sharply before starting.

"I don't know... Everything should be alright now! I don't know why I feel so- so-" Katara made an abrupt motion with her hands, "So unsettled. I mean, Lakkin is locked away and he's going to have to face some kind of justice. Everyone knows what he's done. The conference is wrapping up, but no one acts like it's Zuko's fault and Sokka went and sent a message to my father. He's probably gonna come storming in and be mad at me."

Katara took a deep breath.

"And he's gonna want to know why I kept quiet about Lakkin all this time, and he'll probably be really disappointed in me, and I just..." Her voice broke.

Aang raised his eyebrows, but then scooted through the hay to sit right next to her.

"Katara," he began, in a quiet voice, "A lot has happened in the past few days. You don't have to-"

"Past few days?" Katara interrupted, her voice rising in pitch, "Aang, a lot has happened in the past year! I've been living with Lakkin's threats hanging over my head for ages- threats to me, my family, my tribe! I can't remember the last time I was able to completely relax, or even sleep without fear of waking up in pain. And now Lakkin's locked up, and I don't even know if my tribe is safe. He could still find a way to harm them!"

"Katara-" Aang laid a hand on her arm, and cut off her rant- "Slow down."

She blinked once, and took a breath, then another.

"I know you've been through hard stuff," Aang said, looking her in the eye, "And I'm sorry that you felt like you couldn't come to anyone for help-" he held up a hand as Katara opened her mouth to point out why- "but you have help now. I'm here, and so are Toph, Sokka, Suki and Zuko. We won't let you get hurt again, Katara. We've let you down, and we're going to make sure nothing happens to you, or the Water Tribe. Lakkin and the people behind this will answer for what they've done, and we'll make sure no one gets hurt by them again."

Katara ran her hand over the hay as Aang added, "And I'm sure that if even a hint of a threat was aimed at you or your tribe, Zuko would be up and ready to fight in an instant."

Jerking her head up, Katara stared at the younger man, who looked surprised at her reaction. "What? I thought- I mean- It's been kinda obvious that..."

"That what?" Katara demanded. Aang stayed silent, and she grabbed a fistful of hay. She needed to get this off her chest.

"That's another thing!" she half-cried out, "Zuko! I mean, Aang, what am I thinking? I've just fought and locked up my fiance for the past year, who planned and attempted to kill the Fire Lord, attacked a peaceful conference and threatened my people. And at the same time, I've been spending all this time with Zuko, and I've really liked it- I really like him, but what the heck am I supposed to do about it?! He's the Fire Lord, for goodness's sake, and I'm the woman who's allowed herself to be manipulated by a sociopath for the past year. What must he think of me? I've been so stupid, and he's been so- Ugh! I don't know, Aang. I've never- I just want to..."

Katara finally flopped back into the hay, and closed her eyes. Aang remained silent while she mentally berated herself; What was she thinking? Zuko? He was too-

A soft cough broke the silence, and Katara opened her eyes.

To her horror, Zuko stood above her.

-  
Zuko had been a distance away when he spotted Aang heading towards Appa's barn. Wanting to talk to the Avatar about Lakkin, he had followed the younger man at a slow pace, taking time to enjoy the quiet of the day.

When Zuko finally made it to the barn, it was to hear Aang demand "Katara. Don't you trust me? Tell me what's wrong?"

Curious, Zuko had remained outside the barn doors. His curiosity had paid off, and by the time Katara finally quieted, Zuko was in turmoil; should he go in and confront her? Would he just make things worse? What was he supposed to do with what he had overheard?

Making up his mind, Zuko slipped into the barn to find Katara laying in the hay, her hands fisted at her sides, and Aang looking completely overwhelmed by her outburst.

Aang's eyes widened when he spotted Zuko, but Zuko shook his head when the airbender opened his mouth. Walking over quietly, Zuko looked down at Katara, whose face was scrunched in concentration, eyes shut tight. He was just about to say something when her eyes flew open and her mouth dropped as she stared up at him.

She opened and closed her mouth several times before she finally squeaked out "Zuko! What are you doing here?"

Shrugging, Zuko folded his legs and sank down to sit in the hay next to Katara who had scrambled into a sitting position, "I was just passing by and I happened to overhear..."  
He trailed off as Katara's face paled.

Zuko leaned back on his hands as he waited for Katara to say something; he was pretty sure she would start yelling at him in the next few moments, and so he admired the quiet barn while he could. Aang was watching the two of them apprehensively, and even Aapa had shuffled away from their small group.

Zuko tilted his head back to squint up at the light streaming in from the skylights when Katara cleared her throat and finally said quietly, "Aang, would you mind giving us some privacy?"

The younger man nodded eagerly and fled the barn with a hurried "Bye!" thrown over his shoulder.  
Zuko brought his chin down and watched Katara, who was running her hands over the straw they were sitting on. She wasn't looking at him, but rather focusing her attention on her hands.

"So you heard...all that?" She finally said, her voice low.

"Yeah," he searched her face, and a pit formed in his stomach at the hurt he saw there, "Katara, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help myself. And when I heard what you were saying..."

Katara blushed, and Zuko made a wide gesture with his hands, "Katara, I didn't know you felt that way. If I had, I would have-"

"Would of what, Zuko?" Katara demanded, "I mean, first, I thought it was rather obvious that I liked you. Do you think I go around kissing just anyone these days?"

Zuko opened his mouth to speak up but Katara continued, "And second, what can we do about it? I've just disentangled myself from a fatalistic fiance, and Sokka's sent for my father, and this conference is probably over, thanks to Lakkin. Not to mention the fact that you have a potential war on your hands with the Western Tribe. And you're the Fire Lord, Zuko, remember?! What am I supposed to do?"

"Katara-"

"Fire Lord, Zuko! And I'm just a waterbender from the Southern Tribe. What a joke!"

Katara fell back and covered her eyes with her hands.  
Zuko sat still for a moment and then scooted closer to Katara.

"Katara." he said quietly, leaning over until his face was above hers. Katara kept her hands over her eyes, her mouth pressed in a firm line.

"Katara," Zuko reached down and gently parted her lifted her hands away from her face. The woman had her eyes scrunched.

"Please look at me," he murmured, daring to reach his hand out and touch her hair lightly.

At his touch, Katara's eyes flew open and she stared up at him.  
"If I had known how you felt, Katara, I would have kissed you a lot more." Zuko said this with a straight face, but Katara blanched, and pushed herself up to sit next to him.

"Be serious, Zuko," she said, with no small amount of scorn in her voice, "What does kissing accompl-"  
Zuko leaned forward and kissed her. He probably shouldn't have, but her cheeks were flushed, her mouth parted, and he couldn't help himself.

Katara stiffened for a moment, but then leaned back towards him, her arms going around his waist. Her lips were soft, and Zuko reached up to tangle a hand in Katara's hair, anchoring her close to him, letting his eyes slide shut.

Katara sighed, and flicked her tongue out to trace his lower lip. A low growl escaped from Zuko, his heart racing. He lowered his hand to the base of Katara's neck, lifted his other hand to her jaw and deepened the kiss. Zuko lost himself in the taste of Katara- something herbal sweetened her tongue- and the sensation of her hands exploring his back, his neck, running up into his hair.

He broke the kiss, scrutinizing Katara's flushed face. He leaned forward again and so did Katara, her eyes on his lips. Zuko rested his forehead against hers, but did move in any closer.

"I think kissing accomplishes plenty," he murmured.

"Really?" she asked, her breath tickling his nose.

"It keeps you quiet, in the very least."

Katara jerked back and glared at Zuko, who was trying very hard to keep a straight face. Her face softened, and she asked with a smile, "What else is kissing good for?"

"It takes your mind off things..." Zuko trailed off as Katara brought her face close to his once more, her smooth skin and blue eyes all he could see.

"But," she retorted, so close he almost feel her lips moving, "Kissing doesn't solve any of these...things. Zuko, we need to talk."

He'd had enough talking for the moment. It wasn't that Zuko was afraid to talk about the problems that were present, and that would come; he just had something better to do right now.

"Katara," Zuko reached up and traced her jaw, "We need less talking and more kissing."  
Katara's eyes widened for a moment, then she grinned.

"I think-"

He didn't wait for her to finish the sentence, instead he kissed her soundly.


	29. Chapter 29

**And so I return!**

**Another update, and the next one is on the way… I'm on a roll:)**

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**See y'all later…**

It was early the next morning when Katara decided she wanted to visit Lakkin. The thought crossed her worried mind before she went to bed, and she'd lost sleep trying to decide. She was up, bathed and dressed before the sunrise, and so it came as a bit of a shock to find Toph standing outside her doors when Katara opened them.

"'Morning, Sugar Queen," Toph said, pushing herself off the wall she had been leaning on, "You sure took your time getting ready."

"Toph," Katara sputtered, "What are you doing? It's early- I thought everyone would still be asleep."

"Well, it's hard to sleep when all I can feel is your restlessness. You kept me up all night. I figured you had something on your mind."

Katara pulled the younger woman into her room and nudged her towards a floor cushion.

Settling down next to Toph, Katara explained "I want to go see Lakkin."

Toph only raised an eyebrow.

"Is that supposed to surprise me?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Katara blinked. "Well, it seems like everyone is trying to assure me that everything is okay, and taken care of, and that I never need to see Lakkin again. I guess I resent it. I'd rather face him myself and ask him my questions, instead of listening to other people's explanations."

Toph shrugged, "Makes sense to me. Want to go now?"

"That's what I was planning when I ran into you."

Katara stood up, as did Toph and the two made their way out the door.

In the hallway, Katara placed a hand on Toph's shoulder, "Please don't tell anyone that I've done this. I don't think Sokka would like it at all."

Toph snorted, "Do you really think I'm going to let you go talk to that freak by yourself? You must be joking."

Toph grabbed Katara's arm and started dragging her through the empty hallway.

Protesting - quietly, she didn't want to wake anyone up- Katara finally struggled free of Toph's grip, and they walked side by side to the guard's wing of the palace, where the holding cells were located.

After being nodded through by a guard, they walked through the silent hallway of the wing, then Toph gave Katara a shove towards a thick wooden door, with guards on each side of it.

"We're coming to see Lakkin." Toph stated in her most imperious voice.

The guard on the left shifted and said, "We're under orders to keep him locked up tight, miss. I don't think it's a good idea for you two ladies to see him. He's not... stable."

Toph walked right up to the man and said to his nose, "Listen, buddy, we're two of the people who took down this lunatic. I think it'd be okay for us to go in. I'm Toph Beifong and this is Master Katara of the Southern Tribe. I think we can handle him."

The guards straightened visibly at their names, and the other guard opened the door, and said into the dark room, "You have visitors."

Toph entered first, and Katara followed, accepting a torch from one guard. She held it high as she walked into the room, shivering a little as the door shut behind them.

"Knock when you want to leave." The guards voice was muffled through the door.

There were no windows in the room. Half of it was occupied by a rough table and two chairs, and the other was behind thick iron bars.

Lakkin was sitting cross-legged in the center of the cell, watching Katara with a serene expression.

"Hello, darling."

Toph settled herself in a chair and tilted her head as Katara walked up to the bars of the cell. Lakkin's hand were encased in metal bindings, and his arms and legs tethered by chains. Despite this, he looked quite at ease, a smile on his lips, his brows raised.

The fact that he still looked handsome sent splinters of disgust down Katara's spine.

"It's so lovely to see you, Katara," Lakkin drawled, his voice smooth, "I was wondering when you would come down to visit me. It's been rather boring down here in the dark."

Katara stepped closer to the bars, her hands behind her back to hide their trembling; it wasn't that she was actually afraid of him hurting her now - not with him behind bars and the necklace gone- but she couldn't deny the fear he raised in her.

And he knew it.

"I came to-" Katara paused and drew a breath, squaring her shoulders, "I came to ask what your people have planned next-"

Lakkin gave a loud laugh. "You think you're the only one who's asked me that? Darling, I've had the pleasure of not only the Fire Lord's company here, last night, but a constant stream of over-qualified soldiers and captains coming in to ask me the very same question. If you really wanted to chat, I'm sure we can think of something much more pleasant."

Katara stared down at the man, who grinned back up at her.

"if you really wanted to make things interesting, you could come in here. I've been rather lonely these past few nights, with nothing to keep me warm but my sweet memories of our time together."

Katara struggled to keep a calm face. "It seems you and I have very different memories, Lakkin. I recall you choking me nearly to death on more occasions than I can count, you kidnapping me, threatening my people-"

"Yes," Lakkin burst out, standing up with a sudden clang of his chains, "But think of all the fun we had. I'm much more interesting than Zuko is."

Katara wasn't sure how Zuko had come into the conversation, and she narrowed her eyes as Lakkin walked over to the bar, and leaned his head down until it was level with Katara's.

"I'm a more fascinating find, Katara, you don't know what I'll do next," Lakkin's voice took on a smoother quality, and even though her skin was crawling, she couldn't make herself move back from the bars, "The Fire Lord is boring. He's stuck as the head of a Nation, while I'm freedom, Katara. I could leave here and disappear- we could leave here and disappear. You told me how your responsibilities weighed you down. With me, you could leave all that."

She shuddered.

Lakkin lowered his voice, "Katara, I still want you. I still want to be with you. You're a good influence on me. Let me out. Let's go away, and start over."

Toph stood up abruptly, scraping her chair against the floor with a harsh noise.

Katara started, as the earthbender stated "I think we should leave this lunatic to his ravings, Katara."

"Katara," Lakkin murmured, his lips almost touching the bars as he looked down at her, "think about it. We could be whatever we wanted-"

Katara took a step back, and stared at the man who had been the root of her problems for so long. She looked past his lean, handsome, familiar face, past the sincere eyes and remembered the sleepless nights and hopeless days. It took all her strength to refrain from bloodbending him into a new shape.

"Lakkin, I only ever wanted to be free of you. I don't think you're worth my time, and I hope you rot in the dark for the rest of your days." Katara turned on her heel and marched out of the door, following Toph.

She stopped only to grab the torch from the wall, and then she twisted to whisper "And I hope they're short." She shut the door.

"Well," Toph said, starting to walk down the hall, "That accomplished nothing."

Katara nodded to the guards before hurrying after Toph.

"Just that Lakkin's a complete-" Katara sputtered, floundering for the right word.

"Bastard" supplied Toph.

Katara nodded vigorously as they left the guards wing, and made their way back towards the west wing. It was still early enough that the only person they passed was a maid, carrying a stack of folded linen.

Toph left Katara outside her door, after giving her a soft punch on the shoulder. "I'll see you later, Sugar Queen."

Katara nodded, and watched as Toph casually sauntered down the hall and back into her rooms. The younger woman had obviously decided that their encounter with Lakkin wrapped up her business with Katara.

She looked at her closed door a moment, then sighed. Katara really didn't want to go back into her rooms; there was nothing to do there but lounge around doing nothing. Even if she was going to do nothing, she wanted to go somewhere. Katara was restless after seeing Lakkin, but not up for a visit to the bending courtyard- the fight with Lakkin was still fresh in her mind.

Leaning by her door, she considered going to the library (but she wasn't in the mood for reading), or searching out something to eat (but she really wasn't too hungry), or maybe even going for a walk in the outer gardens (but they seemed a little too far away?).

Finally, Katara pushed herself off the wall and set a course for the garden in the Royal Family's wing; she figured some fresh air and quiet would be better than simply staring at walls.

As she walked, Katara hummed, trying not to dwell on her... visit to Lakkin, but no amount of mindless tunes could keep her from thinking back on the encounter.

He had been so calm. It was as if the recent events held no importance for him. And when he asked her to run away with him-

Katara snorted. How could he possibly think that she would willingly subjugate herself to him once again?! After everything he had done?!

Katara rounded the last corner, and briskly walked into the garden, heading straight for the willow by the herself in the grass, by the roots of the willow, Katara leaned back against the tree, and closed her eyes.

She had to admit- of only to herself- that there had been a moment, when she was down in the holding cells, when she had been caught up by Lakkin's words. Katara was pretty sure Toph had noted it as well, which was why she had ushered them out of the room.

She fought back the rise of bile in her mouth as she recollected how sincere Lakkin had seemed, how he had held her gaze and told her he wanted to begin again. He looked just as he had when they first met, before any of his darkness seeped through his perfect facade. And strangely enough, Katara found herself a little wistful for that time- for the simplicity it represented.

Shaking her head, Katara cracked open her eyelids and looked up to the sky, peeking through the long leaves of the willow. The sun must've risen awhile ago, as the sky was that pale blue it favoured in the morning, no trace of the sunrise colours left. A few clouds hurried across the expanse, drifting in and out of her line of sight.

Katara must have drifted off for a moment, because the next thing she knew, a warm hand was on her shoulder and she was rapidly blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"I almost walked right by you" Zuko said, crouching down next to her on the grass, "But it's lucky I didn't, because I was actually looking for you."

Shifting against the tree, she reached up to rub her eyes. "Good morning, Zuko."

Zuko grinned, and leaned over to lightly brush her forehead with his lips. Katara gave him a small smile, and resisted the urge to touch the spot to see if it was as warm as it felt.

"You're supposed to ask why I was looking for you."

"Why were you looking for me?"

Zuko's face took on a serious cast, "I've just received word that a ship from the Western Tribe docked in port this morning. The chief, Asilak, is on board, and he is requesting an audience with me this morning. He should be arriving shortly and I'm going to receive him in a smaller sitting room."

Katara stared at Zuko. Asilak was here? And Zuko was going to-

"You can't!" she blurted out, "You can't meet with Asilak. And in a private room, Zuko!? What if he tries to kill you? He could be planning something worse than what Lakkin attempted."

"I won't be alone with him; I'm bringing two guards with me," Zuko shrugged, then caught Katara's eye, "And I was hoping you would come meet him too?"

Katara froze, her hands stilling in her lap, her face expressionless. "Why?" she finally croaked out.

"Because you're one of the representatives from a Water Tribe, you're a Waterbending Master, and it's his son that you were engaged to. I think you'd be a good person to have with me. If anything goes south, I know you'll be handy in a fight, and if Asilak is reasonable and willing to listen, your story will matter the most."

She sat for a moment, and Zuko remained still as well, crouched near her. Then, slowly, Katara nodded, and Zuko's shoulders slumped with relief. The Fire Lord stood up and offered a hand down to Katara, who took it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

She brushed her dress off absentmindedly, and then murmured "I'm not really dressed for a political meeting."

Zuko's gaze traveled up and down her length, eyeing her simple blue linen dress, and plain slippers.  
"You look lovely," he asserted, placing her arm on his as they exited the garden, "And besides, I don't look all that put together either."

He really didn't. Zuko had on a pair of long, dark pants, a red tunic and an overrobe. They were loose, in muted colours, and with no extra embroidery or finishings. It looked like something a person might wear for a comfortable evening at home.

"Well," Katara suggested as they walked through the sunny hall, "Perhaps we might impress Asilak with our casualty, and lack of concern for conventions."

"Or he might think we are complete slobs, and declare war on the Fire Nation for lack of neatness."

They talked with light tones, bantering as they made their way towards the smaller, private rooms near the north end of the palace, but there was an air of tenseness to their speech, an awareness of what they were about to face.

Zuko led them around one more corner, and there was the room they were headed for, a pair of guards standing outside the door.

Giving Katara's arm a light squeeze, Zuko released her and walked up to the guards, who gave him deep bows.

"The Western Tribe chief is already in the room, Fire Lord."

"Thank you, Lio. Did anyone accompany him?"

"No, sir. He left three men in the outer gardens, with a few of our own men."

Zuko raised a brow, and glanced back at Katara. She was as surprised as Zuko looked. The fact that Asilak came alone was either an extremely good sign or the exact opposite.

"Well then," Zuko said, tugging on his overrobe, "I think I'll let you two men stay out by the door. Master Katara and I will talk to Asilak alone. If you hear anything, come in immediately."

Both men nodded curtly, and Katara walked up to Zuko's side as he opened the door and they stepped in together.

Asilak was seated in one of the low couches in the room, but he rose to his feet as Katara and Zuko entered.

"Good morning, Fire Lord Zuko," he said, executing a perfect bow, "I thank you for allowing me into your home."

Lakkin bore a close resemblance to his father; Asilak had the same lean face, deep set eyes and pleasing mouth as his son, if only a bit worn and weathered by age. Even his hair resembled Lakkin's, tied back in a wolf-tail, graying by the temples.

Asilak's gaze moved from Zuko and onto Katara. He stared at her neck a moment, his eyes widening, and she was suddenly very self-conscious of the faint scar that remained there.

The Western Tribe's chief then sighed, and sat back down on a couch with a weary air, rubbing his forehead.

Following Zuko's lead, Katara sat down on a separate chair, watching Asilak warily; he didn't look like he was about to attack them, but then again, he was Lakkin's father.

Zuko cleared his throat quietly and opened his mouth as if to speak, but Asilak beat him to it.

"I must first apologize profusely," the older man said, his voice even and soft, "I had no idea that Lakkin was planning to attack you and the conference. When he left home, I was under the impression that he was coming here more for the time he could spend with his fiancé than for the conference itself."

Zuko leaned forward, "You had no prior knowledge of the attack? Nothing that indicated your son would disrupt a peaceful gathering of the nations and threaten myself and my friends?"

Katara shifted at Zuko's tone; he was calm, but there was an underlying steel to his words, and a suppressed anger.

"No, Fire Lord" Asilak didn't seem bothered by Zuko's tone, "My son never had much love for the Fire Nation, but he hadn't ever expressed a desire to attack it to me."

After a moment, Zuko nodded, and leaned back while Asilak continued.

"Secondly, I wish to assure you that I am satisfied with how our tribe has been treated after the war. From what I understood from my sources, the men that followed my son are extremists. The Western Tribe has no desire to go to war- we've always tried to remain as far from it as possible."

Zuko interrupted him here, "How am I to believe that your tribe is against war when a large group of very determined men attacked my home three days ago? How can you be sure that those were the only extremists among your people?"

Asilak smoothed a hands along his sleeve.

"There may be more people of my tribe who have no love for the Fire Nation, I am confident that we can discourage any further attacks. I would suggest we make an example of Lakkin and his men."

Katara blinked and then burst out "But he's your son! Why would you..."

She trailed off as Asilak focused his attention on her.

"Yes, he is my son, Master Katara. He was also your finacé. Does that make what he has done any less terrible?"

"No, it doesn't" she countered, "But what kind of an example are you going to make of him?"

"The Avatar is still here, no?"

Zuko nodded.

"If his power has not been exaggerated, he has the ability to take away a person's bending. I will ask him to do this to Lakkin; if there is anything that could temper my son's ability to harm others, it would be that."

Katara rather thought that taking Lakkin's bending away would serve only to anger the man, and incite more problems.

Zuko voiced her thoughts, "Won't that only create more problems? Lakkin won't have his bending- which I think is a fitting punishment- but he'll be even more dangerous with that loss to fuel his anger."

Asilak shrugged, "After the Avatar takes away Lakkin's bending, I will bring him back to the Western Tribe. He will remain under constant scrutiny for the rest of his will never be allowed to leave our islands, and he and his men will be marked as traitors and pariahs among our people."

"And what if they try to escape, or attack another nation again?" Katara demanded.

"They will die. I will make this clear to them."

She blinked, and then glanced over to see Zuko looking equally taken aback.

"I can see I've shocked you," Asilak said, folding his hands together, "But in order for my tribe to continue to exist in this world, we must be prepared to sacrifice for peace."

Zuko stared at Asilak for a very long moment, then he nodded. "I believe you are sincere, Chief Asilak. I appreciate that you came here yourself, and I hope that this recent...incident will have no negative effect on the relations between our nations in the future."

Asilak nodded, and said "Thank you for your willingness to see me, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko stood and Katara did as well, but Asilak held up a hand.

"If I may," he said, addressing Katara, "Would you mind if I spoke to you alone?"

Zuko stiffened by her side, and reached out to touch Katara's shoulder, but she stepped to the up at Zuko, she murmured, "It's fine, Zuko."

Zuko frowned slightly, but nodded, and headed out of the room.

"I'll be waiting outside," he said before he closed the door.

Katara turned back to Asilak, curious.

She hadn't expected this meeting to go so smoothly. She'd anticipated some form of confrontation, accusation and anger from the chief of the Western Tribe, not the acquiescence he'd displayed. And Katara hadn't really had to do anything, which was why she was still in the room with Asilak; she wanted to do something.

Keeping her eye on Asilak, Katara sat back down in her chair and waited. After only a few seconds of silence, Asilak cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat.

"I can see why Lakkin was so fascinated with you, Master Katara; you are quite beautiful."

Katara raised an eyebrow, and stated "Thank you, but I don't think Lakkin courted me simply for my looks."

If Asilak was fazed by Katara's frigid tone, he showed no sign of it. The older man smiled.

"I've also heard that you are a superb waterbender, a caring woman and a loyal friend of the Avatar. Along with many other fine traits that I'm sure you posses, I must admit, you are just the sort of young lady I hoped to call my daughter-in-law. I was looking forward to the wedding ceremony that was to be held this summer."

"You may have been, but I was dreading it, sir. Your son, once we were engaged, became a completely different person then the man I thought I knew. The only reason I remained his fiancé was due to his threats."

Katara resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest as she stared at Lakkin's father. Asilak did not protest his son's innocence, but she had trouble believing that a father could listen to his son being disparaged, and not object in the slightest.

"May I ask what became of your betrothal necklace?" Asilak was eying her neck again, and this time, Katara did reach up to touch the scar around her neck. It was only slightly rougher than the skin of her neck, and she knew it wasn't obvious unless someone was looking for it.

"Fire Lord Zuko helped me remove it."

"How?"

"He burnt it off my neck."

Asilak blanched, and then a look of understanding crossed his face. "You must trust the Fire Lord very much, in order to allow him to do that."

Katara shrugged, "It was my only option, at the time."

The man stood up suddenly, causing Katara to start, but he only began to pace along the plush carpet.  
"Tell me, Katara, was the necklace a grey pendant on a white ribbon?"

Katara nodded. The image of that necklace was branded into her mind; she doubted whether she would ever forget what it looked like- what it felt like.

"I see. I suspected..."

Asilak stopped his pacing, and then dropped to a knee in front of Katara.

Katara jumped back in her seat, unable to help her surprise as Asilak took her hands in his larger ones.

"I owe you a great apology, Katara. I knew that the relic was missing, but I refused to believe that my son would use it."

"Relic?" Katara asked, a little uneasy with the sincere stare the older man was giving her.

"The betrothal necklace. It was not Lakkin's to give, and we had hoped it would never harm another person again."

"What do you mean?" she demanded, pulling her hands back from Asilak's hold.

"That necklace has been passed down for generations in my family. It's history is long, and unhappy."

"You mean that it has been used on other people? Other people were... hurt by it?"

Asilak sighed, "Yes, but it was the people behind the necklace that did the harm, not the necklace itself, as is the case with all weapons."

The chief, moving wearily, righted himself, and sat next to Katara on the couch. "Our family has possessed the necklace for generations, and some of my ancestors decided to use for their own purposes, despite the warning that came with it."

"Warning?"

"More of a cautionary myth. I've never been sure that it was a truth, but it seemed to explain the strange necklace and its abilities well enough."

Katara shifted in her seat, and looked at Asilak.

"This is the origin tale of the necklace - we call it Kaman's Bane- and it is the first story we have of it, but not the last, and not the most tragic either."

Katara nodded, folded her hands in her lap and Asilak began to speak.


	30. Chapter 30

**Welcome to another chapter… of a sort. **

**Bear with me this week, as I struggle through college nastiness. I hope to update soon, but it all depends on the load my professors decide to dump on me. **

**Thanks for reading, leave some comments, and once more, a huge thank you goes out to JonathanByers11, my faithful beta!**

Once, when the world was still new, and spirits walked among the trees of our world, there lived a young water spirit, whose name was Kaman.

Kaman lived by himself, in a cave near the ocean. And while he liked nothing so much as wandering the watery depths of the ocean, or scrambling along the shore, picking up interesting stones and shells, he was lonely.

It came about that one day Kaman was walking near a grove of mangroves when he heard a soft cry. Intrigued, Kaman entered the grove, and slipped between the tangled roots of the mangroves, looking for the source of the noise.

Finally, he came upon an old mangrove, in whose roots was caught a young woman. Kaman went to work, and in no time, he freed the girl. Thanking him, the girl introduced herself as Liluye, and asked how she could pay him back- she knew she owed the spirit a debt.

Kaman thought about it for only a second before telling Liluye that she could come visit him in his cave. Liluye thought it a strange request, but agreed.

After her first visit, Kaman asked Liluye to return, and even though the young woman thought that the dark cave was unpleasant and oppressive, she continued to visit Kaman. Kaman had no idea that Liluye thought his home uncomfortable, and with each of her visits, he became more and more convinced that he loved Liluye.

When Kaman confessed his feelings to her, Liluye was startled, and puzzled; she had never expressed anything other than friendship to the water spirit. She told Kaman that she didn't feel the same, and he flew into a rage. Frightened, Liluye fled straight to her home, a small village in the forest that lay near the ocean.

Kaman visited the forest everyday, calling out for Liluye, begging her to forgive him, crying that he missed her company and that he would never speak of love again, if only she would visit him again. The villagers disliked the noise the water spirit created, and Liluye grew tired of Kaman's persistence.

One day, she made up her mind and returned to Kaman's cave.

Kaman behaved perfectly, and Liluye relaxed, and enjoyed her time with the water spirit. At the end of her visit, Kaman apologised once again for his bad behavior, and offered Liluye a gift as way of making it up to her, a necklace. Liluye was flattered by this gift, and pleased with the beautiful necklace. She put it on as she left Kaman's cave, and thanked him.

The next day, Liluye stormed back to Kaman's cave, and demanded to know what was wrong with the necklace. She had tried to take it off the night before, and hadn't been able to.

Kaman became angry when he found out Liluye had tried to take his gift off, and Liluye began to leave his cave.

All of a sudden, the young woman was jerked back, as if by a hand around her neck. Whirling around, she saw Kaman standing near the back of his cave. She tried to leave the cave again, but this time a great pressure wrapped around her neck, and Lilyue began to choke. She looked to Kaman in desperation, only to find him smiling at her.

The pressure lessened, and Liluye was able to demand what Kaman had done. Kaman settled himself next to Liluye on the floor and explained that he had created this necklace for the sole purpose of keeping her with him at all times.

Horrified, Liluye attempted once more to escape, only to be jerked back by the necklace. As she realised that Kaman truly meant to keep her within his cave, Liluye felt all affection for the water spirit leave her.

Kaman kept Liluye in the cave, and while he tried to demonstrate his love for her everyday, the woman refused to speak, refused to eat and she never smiled. Kaman could only watch as the woman he professed to love lost all the vibrancy she once had.

When he kissed her, Liluye would stare into space and remain as stiff as a shell on the beach. Kaman tried everything. He made Liluye delicious foods, he brought her flowers and gave her beautiful clothes. He even sang songs he had learned from the ocean.

But no matter what he tried, Liluye remained distant.

Frustrated, Kaman began to go for long forays into the ocean, leaving Liluye locked within his cave. One day, when he returned from the sea, he found Liluye dead, at the mouth of the cave, her hands outstretched towards the sunlight, just out of reach. She had cut her wrists, but a serene smile graced her pale face.

Full of sorrow and anger, the water spirit removed the necklace from Liluye cold neck, and brought her body to the edge of the forest where her village was.

He laid her in the grass, placing a white shell at each of her wrists, and left her for her people to find. He then took the necklace, and walked to the sea. Journeying under the waves, Kaman came to a remote island, and there he buried he necklace, placing a warning over it.

_Here lies the doom of my love_

_The doom of my life_

_Let it remain_

Kaman traveled to the spirit world, and lost himself in its hills and mountains. He never spoke again, but spent his eternity searching for Liluye's spirit, wishing to gain her forgiveness for all his wrongs. He never found her.


End file.
